M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Dinah and Shechem

34 Now Leah’s daughter Dinah, who was born to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. ² And she was seen by Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of the land. He took her and made her lay with him, and she was put to shame. ³ He had much desire for Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the girl and spoke kind words to her. ⁴ So Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this young girl for a wife.”

⁵ Now Jacob heard that Shechem had put his daughter Dinah to shame. But his sons were with the flocks in the field, so Jacob kept quiet until they returned. ⁶ Then Shechem’s father Hamor went to speak with Jacob. ⁷ Jacob’s sons returned from the field when they heard what had happened. They were full of sorrow and were angry. For Shechem had put Israel to shame by lying with Jacob’s daughter. Such a thing should not be done. ⁸ But Hamor said to them, “The soul of my son Shechem has much desire for your daughter. I ask of you, give her to him in marriage. ⁹ Marry with our people. Give your daughters to us. And take our daughters for yourselves. ¹⁰ May you live with us. And the land will be open to you. Live and trade in it, and buy land in it.”

¹¹ Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes. I will give you whatever you ask. ¹² Make your price and wedding gift as much as you want. I will give you as much as you ask. Only give me the girl to be my wife.”

¹³ But Jacob’s sons lied in their answer to Shechem and his father Hamor because he had put their sister Dinah to shame. ¹⁴ They said to them, “We cannot do this. We cannot give our sister to one who has not gone through the religious act of having his flesh cut. For that would be a shame to us. ¹⁵ We will give you our sister only if you become like us. Every man among you must have this religious act done. ¹⁶ Then we will give our daughters to you. And we will marry your daughters. We will live with you and become one people. ¹⁷ But if you will not listen to us and have this religious act done, then we will take our daughter and go.”

¹⁸ Their words pleased Hamor and his son Shechem. ¹⁹ The young man did not wait to do what they asked, because he was in love with Jacob’s daughter. And he was the most honored of all his family. ²⁰ So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city. And they said to the men of their city, ²¹ “These men want to be at peace with us. Let them live in the land and trade in it. For, see, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our daughters to them. ²² But the men will be willing to live with us and become one people only if every man among us goes through the religious act that they have gone through. ²³ Will not their cattle and all they own, all their animals, be ours? Let us just do what they ask, and they will live with us.” ²⁴ All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem. And every man went through the religious act of having his flesh cut, all who went out of the gate of his city.

²⁵ But on the third day, when all the men were in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and went into the city in secret. And they killed every man. ²⁶ They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword. And they took Dinah from Shechem’s house and went away. ²⁷ Then Jacob’s sons went over the dead men and robbed the city of its riches because its men had put their sister to shame. ²⁸ They took their flocks and cattle and donkeys and whatever was in the city and in the field. ²⁹ They took all their riches, their little ones, their wives, even all that was in the houses.

³⁰ Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me hated by the people of the land, the Canaanites and Perizzites. My men are few in number. And these people will gather together against me and fight me. I and those of my house will be destroyed.” ³¹ But they said, “Should he act towards our sister as if she were a woman who sells the use of her body?”

Demons Ask Jesus to Let Them Live in Pigs ^(A)

5 Jesus and His followers came to the other side of the sea to the country of the Gerasenes. ² He got out of the boat. At once a man came to Him from among the graves. This man had a demon. ³ He lived among the graves. No man could tie him, even with chains. ⁴ Many times he had been tied with chains on his feet. He had broken the chains as well as the irons from his hands and legs. No man was strong enough to keep him tied. ⁵ Night and day he was among the graves and in the mountains. He would cry out and cut himself with stones.

⁶ When the man with the demon saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and worshiped Him. ⁷ The man spoke with a loud voice and said, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I ask You, in the name of God, do not hurt me!” ⁸ At the same time, Jesus was saying, “Come out of the man, you demon!” ⁹ Jesus asked the demon, “What is your name?” He said, “My name is Many, for there are many of us.” ¹⁰ The demons asked Jesus not to send them out of the country. ¹¹ There were many pigs feeding on the mountain side. ¹² The demons asked Him saying, “Send us to the pigs that we may go into them.” ¹³ Then Jesus let them do what they wanted to do. So they went into the pigs. The pigs ran fast down the side of the mountain and into the sea and died. There were about 2,000. ¹⁴ The men who cared for the pigs ran fast to the town and out to the country telling what had been done. People came to see what had happened. ¹⁵ They came to Jesus and saw the man who had had the demons. He was sitting with clothes on and in his right mind. The men were afraid. ¹⁶ Those who had seen it told what had happened to the man who had had the demons. They told what had happened to the pigs. ¹⁷ Then they asked Jesus to leave their country.

¹⁸ Jesus got into the boat. The man who had had the demons asked to go with Him. ¹⁹ Jesus would not let him go but said to him, “Go home to your own people. Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you. Tell them how He had pity on you.” ²⁰ The man went his way and told everyone in the land of Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him. All the people were surprised and wondered.

Two Were Healed through Faith ^(B)

²¹ Then Jesus went by boat over to the other side of the sea. Many people gathered around Him. He stayed by the sea-shore. ²² Jairus was one of the leaders of the Jewish place of worship. As Jairus came to Jesus, he got down at His feet. ²³ He cried out to Jesus and said, “My little daughter is almost dead. Come and put Your hand on her that she may be healed and live.” ²⁴ Jesus went with him. Many people followed and pushed around Jesus.

²⁵ A woman had been sick for twelve years with a flow of blood. ²⁶ She had suffered much because of having many doctors. She had spent all the money she had. She had received no help, but became worse. ²⁷ She heard about Jesus and went among the people who were following Him. She touched His coat. ²⁸ For she said to herself, “If I can only touch His coat, I will be healed.” ²⁹ At once the flow of blood stopped. She felt in her body that she was healed of her sickness.

³⁰ At the same time Jesus knew that power had gone from Him. He turned and said to the people following Him, “Who touched My coat?” ³¹ His followers said to Him, “You see the many people pushing on every side. Why do You ask, ‘Who touched My coat?’” ³² He looked around to see who had done it. ³³ The woman was filled with fear when she knew what had happened to her. She came and got down before Jesus and told Him the truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free from your sickness.”

³⁵ While Jesus spoke, men came from the house of the leader of the place of worship. They said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher anymore?” ³⁶ Jesus heard this. He said to the leader of the Jewish place of worship, “Do not be afraid, just believe.” ³⁷ He allowed no one to go with Him but Peter and James and John, the brother of James. ³⁸ They came to the house where the leader of the place of worship lived. Jesus found many people making much noise and crying. ³⁹ He went in and asked them, “Why is there so much noise and crying? The girl is not dead. She is sleeping.”

⁴⁰ They laughed at Jesus. But He sent them all out of the room. Then He took the girl’s father and mother and those who were with Him. They went into the room where the girl was. ⁴¹ He took the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” ⁴² At once the girl got up and walked. She was twelve years old. They were very much surprised and wondered about it. ⁴³ He spoke sharp words to them that they should not tell anyone. He told them to give her something to eat.

Satan Tests Job

1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was without blame. He was right and good, he feared God, and turned away from sin. ² Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. ³ He had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, 500 female donkeys, and many servants. He was the greatest of all the men of the east. ⁴ His sons used to go and make a special supper in each one’s house on a special day. And they would send for their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵ When the days of their special supper were over, Job would get up early in the morning and send for them. Then he would give burnt gifts for each of them so that they would be pure. For Job said, “It might be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job always did this.

⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to show themselves before the Lord. Satan came with them also. ⁷ And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From traveling around on the earth and walking around on it.” ⁸ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you thought about My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth. He is without blame, a man who is right and good. He honors God with fear and turns away from sin.” ⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰ Have You not made a wall around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have brought good to the work of his hands, and he has received more and more in the land. ¹¹ But put out Your hand now and touch all that he has. And for sure he will curse You to Your face.” ¹² Then the Lord said to Satan, “See, all that he has is in your power. Only do not put your hand on him.” So Satan went out from the Lord.

Job’s Children and Riches Are Destroyed

¹³ On a day when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a man came to Job with news, saying, “The oxen were pulling the plow and the donkeys were eating beside them. ¹⁵ And the Sabeans came and took them. They also killed the servants with the sword. I alone have run away from them to tell you.” ¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another man came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and destroyed them. I alone have gotten away to tell you.” ¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The Babylonians divided into three groups and came to fight. They took the camels and killed the servants with the sword. I alone have gotten away to tell you.” ¹⁸ While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house. ¹⁹ And see, a strong wind came from the desert and hit the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people and they are dead. I alone have gotten away to tell you.”

²⁰ Then Job stood up and tore his clothing and cut the hair from his head. And he fell to the ground and worshiped. ²¹ He said, “Without clothing I was born from my mother, and without clothing I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Praise the name of the Lord.” ²² In all this Job did not sin or blame God.

5 Now that we have been made right with God by putting our trust in Him, we have peace with Him. It is because of what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us. ² By putting our trust in God, He has given us His loving-favor and has received us. We are happy for the hope we have of sharing the shining-greatness of God. ³ We are glad for our troubles also. We know that troubles help us learn not to give up. ⁴ When we have learned not to give up, it shows we have stood the test. When we have stood the test, it gives us hope. ⁵ Hope never makes us ashamed because the love of God has come into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.

⁶ We were weak and could not help ourselves. Then Christ came at the right time and gave His life for all sinners. ⁷ No one is willing to die for another person, but for a good man someone might be willing to die. ⁸ But God showed His love to us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Now that we have been saved from the punishment of sin by the blood of Christ, He will save us from God’s anger also. ¹⁰ We hated God. But we were saved from the punishment of sin by the death of Christ. He has brought us back to God and we will be saved by His life. ¹¹ Not only that, we give thanks to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have been brought back to God.

¹² This is what happened: Sin came into the world by one man, Adam. Sin brought death with it. Death spread to all men because all have sinned. ¹³ Sin was in the world before the Law was given. But sin is not held against a person when there is no Law. ¹⁴ And yet death had power over men from the time of Adam until the time of Moses. Even the power of death was over those who had not sinned in the same way Adam sinned. Adam was like the One Who was to come.

¹⁵ God’s free gift is not like the sin of Adam. Many people died because of the sin of this one man, Adam. But the loving-favor of God came to many people also. This gift came also by one Man Jesus Christ, God’s Son. ¹⁶ The free gift of God is not like Adam’s sin. God told Adam he was guilty because of his sin and through this one came sin and guilt. But the free gift makes men right with God. Through One, Christ, men’s sins are forgiven. ¹⁷ The power of death was over all men because of the sin of one man, Adam. But many people will receive His loving-favor and the gift of being made right with God. They will have power in life by Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ Through Adam’s sin, death and hell came to all men. But another Man, Christ, by His right act makes men free and gives them life. ¹⁹ Adam did not obey God, and many people become sinners through him. Christ obeyed God and makes many people right with Himself.

²⁰ Sin spread when the Law was given. But where sin spread, God’s loving-favor spread all the more. ²¹ Sin had power that ended in death. Now, God’s loving-favor has power to make men right with Himself. It gives life that lasts forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ did this for us.