M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

While Saul Is Going To Damascus To Persecute Believers, Jesus Appears To Him

9 Now Saul, still breathing threat and murder against the disciples of the Lord, having gone to the high priest, ² asked-for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus so that if he found any being of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ And during the proceeding, it came about that he was drawing-near to Damascus. And suddenly a light from heaven flashed-around him. ⁴ And having fallen on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ⁵ And he said, “Who are You, sir^[a]?” And the One said, “I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But arise and enter into the city, and it will be told you what thing you must do”. ⁷ And the men traveling-with him were standing speechless^[b], hearing the voice^[c] but seeing no one. ⁸ And Saul was raised^[d] from the ground. And his eyes having been opened, he was seeing nothing. And hand-leading him, they brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was not seeing for three days. And he did not eat nor drink.

God Tells Ananias To Go Give Saul His Sight, For He Is God’s Chosen Instrument

¹⁰ Now a certain disciple was in Damascus— Ananias by name. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias”. And the one said, “Behold, I am here, Lord”. ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Having arisen, go on the lane being called ‘Straight’, and seek one-from-Tarsus, Saul by name, in the house of Judas. For behold— he is praying. ¹² And he saw a man in a vision, Ananias by name, having come in and laid hands on him so that he might see-again”. ¹³ And Ananias responded, “Lord, I heard about this man from many— how many bad things he did to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all the ones calling-upon Your name”. ¹⁵ And the Lord said to him, “Go, because this one is a chosen instrument^[e] for Me— that he might carry My name before both Gentiles and kings, and sons of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how-many things he must suffer for My name”. ¹⁷ And Ananias departed, and entered into the house. And having laid his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me forth— Jesus, the One having appeared to you on the road on which you were coming— so that you may see-again and be filled with the Holy Spirit”. ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales^[f] fell from his eyes. And he saw-again^[g], and having arisen, was baptized. ¹⁹ And having taken food, he strengthened.

Saul Begins Proclaiming Christ In Damascus. He Escapes a Plot To Kill Him

Now he came-to-be with the disciples in Damascus for some days. ²⁰ And immediately he was proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues— that this One is the Son of God. ²¹ And all the ones hearing were astonished, and were saying, “Is not this the one having destroyed in Jerusalem the ones calling-upon this name? And he had come here for this— that he might bring them bound to the chief priests!” ²² And Saul was becoming more strong. And he was confounding^[h] the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ. ²³ And when considerable days were being fulfilled, the Jews plotted to kill him. ²⁴ But their plot was known by Saul. And they were even closely-watching the gates both by day and by night so that they might kill him. ²⁵ But his disciples, having taken him by night, let him down through the wall, having lowered^[i] him in a large-basket.

Saul Joins The Disciples In Jerusalem. Due To a Plot To Kill Him, He Is Sent To Tarsus

²⁶ And having arrived in Jerusalem, he was trying to join the disciples. And they all were fearing him, not believing that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas, having taken-hold-of him, brought him to the apostles and related to them how he saw the Lord on the road, and that^[j] He spoke to him; and how in Damascus he spoke-boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was with them, going in and going out in Jerusalem, speaking-boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was speaking and debating with the Hellenists, but the ones were attempting^[k] to kill him. ³⁰ But the brothers, having learned it, brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

The Church Enjoys Peace And Growth

³¹ So indeed the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria was having peace, while being built-up. And it was being multiplied while walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort^[l] of the Holy Spirit.

Peter Goes Through The Regions Healing And Proclaiming Christ. He Heals Aeneas in Lydda

³² Now it came about that Peter, while going through all the regions^[m], came down also to the saints dwelling-in Lydda. ³³ And he found there a certain man, Aeneas by name, who had been paralyzed, lying down on a cot for eight years. ³⁴ And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed for yourself ”. And immediately he arose. ³⁵ And all the ones dwelling-in Lydda and Sharon saw him— who^[n] [then] turned to the Lord.

Peter Raises Dorcas From The Dead In Joppa

³⁶ Now in Joppa, there was a certain disciple, Tabitha by name (which being interpreted^[o] means “Dorcas”). This one was full of good works and acts-of-almsgiving^[p] which she was doing. ³⁷ And it came about in those days that having become sick, she died. And having washed her, they laid her in an upper-room. ³⁸ Now Lydda being near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was in it, sent-out two men to him urging, “Do not delay to come to us”. ³⁹ And having arisen, Peter went with them— whom^[q], having arrived, they brought up into the upper room. And all the widows stood near him, weeping and showing him tunics^[r] and garments— all-that Dorcas was making while being with them. ⁴⁰ And Peter— having put everyone outside, and having put down his knees— prayed. And having turned to the body, he said, “Tabitha, rise-up”. And the one opened her eyes! And having seen Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ And having given her his hand, he raised her up. And having called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive. ⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many put-faith upon the Lord. ⁴³ And it came about that he stayed considerable days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.

Jesus Teaches The Multitudes In Parables

4 And again He began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd is gathered-together with Him so that He, having gotten into a boat, sits-down in the sea [to teach]. And all the multitude were near^[a] the sea on the land. ² And He was teaching them many things in parables.

The Sower’s Seed Falls On Different Kinds of Soil. Only The Good Soil Produces Fruit

And He was saying to them in His teaching, ³ “Listen! Behold— the one sowing went out to sow. ⁴ And it came about during the sowing that some seed fell along the road. And the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ And other^[b] seed fell on the rocky^[c] place where it was not having much soil. And immediately it sprang-up because of not having a depth of soil. ⁶ And when the sun rose, it was scorched. And because of not having a root, it was dried-up. ⁷ And other seed fell into the thorns. And the thorns came-up and choked it, and it did not give fruit. ⁸ And others^[d] fell into the good soil, and were giving fruit while coming up and growing. And they were bearing thirty fold^[e] and sixty fold and a hundred fold”. ⁹ And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.

Jesus Tells The Disciples The Purpose of Parables

¹⁰ And when He came-to-be alone, the ones around Him with the twelve were questioning Him as to the parables. ¹¹ And He was saying to them, “The mystery^[f] of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But all things come in parables to those outside ¹² in order that^[g] while seeing, they may be seeing and not perceive, and while hearing, they may be hearing and not understanding, that they may not ever turn-back and it be forgiven them”.

Jesus Explains The Parable of The Sower

¹³ And He says to them, “Do you not know this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴ The one sowing sows the word^[h]. ¹⁵ Now these people are the ones along the road, where the word is sown. And when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word having been sown into them. ¹⁶ And these people are the ones being sown the seed on the rocky places— who, when they hear the word, immediately are receiving it with joy. ¹⁷ And they do not have a root in themselves, but are temporary^[i]. Then affliction or persecution having come about because of the word, immediately they are caused-to-fall. ¹⁸ And other people are the ones being sown the seed into the thorns. These are the ones having heard the word— ¹⁹ and coming-in, the anxieties^[j] of the age^[k] and the deceitfulness^[l] of riches and the desires with respect to the other things are choking the word, and it becomes unfruitful^[m]. ²⁰ And those people are the ones having been sown^[n] the seed on the good soil, who are hearing^[o] the word and accepting it and bearing-fruit— thirty fold and sixty fold and a hundred fold”.

The Lamp Comes To Shine, Not To Be Hidden

²¹ And He was saying to them, “The lamp does not come in order that it may be put under the basket or under the bed, does it? Is it not in order that it may be put on the lampstand? ²² For it is not hidden, except in order that it may be made-visible^[p]. Nor did it become hidden-away, but in order that it may come into visibility. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear”.

With The Measure You Use It Will Be Measured To You

²⁴ And He was saying to them, “Be watching what you listen-to^[q]. With what measure you measure^[r], it will be measured to you— and it will be added to you. ²⁵ For he who has— it will be given to him. And he who does not have— even what he has will be taken-away from him”.

The Kingdom of God Is Like Seed That Grows From Within Itself To Maturity

²⁶ And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like this: as-if a person would throw the seed upon the soil, ²⁷ and would be sleeping and arising night and day, and the seed would be budding and growing-long— how, he does not^[s] know. ²⁸ The soil bears-fruit by-itself ^[t]— first grass, then a head, then a full grain in the head. ²⁹ And whenever the fruit permits^[u], immediately he^[v] sends-forth the sickle because the harvest has come^[w]”.

The Kingdom of God Is Like a Mustard Seed. It Starts Small And Grows Large

³⁰ And He was saying, “How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what parable may we present it?— ³¹ as a seed of a mustard-plant, which when it is sown upon the soil is being smaller than all^[x] the seeds upon the soil. ³² And when it is sown, it goes-up and becomes larger than all the garden-plants. And it makes large branches so that the birds of the heaven are able to be nesting under the shade of it”.

Jesus Spoke To The Crowd In Parables And Explained Everything To His Disciples

³³ And with many such parables He was speaking the word to them, as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ And He was not speaking to them apart from a parable. But He was explaining^[y] everything privately to His own disciples.

Jesus Calms The Wind And Sea. The Disciples Say, Who Is This Man?

³⁵ And on that day, having become evening, He says to them, “Let us go to the other side”. ³⁶ And having left the crowd, they take Him along as He was^[z], in the boat. And other boats were with Him. ³⁷ And a great storm of wind takes place. And the waves were throwing-over into the boat so that the boat was already being filled. ³⁸ And He was in the stern on the cushion, sleeping. And they wake Him and say to Him, “Teacher, do You not care^[aa] that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And having awakened, He rebuked the wind, and said to the sea “Be still, be silenced^[ab]”. And the wind stopped. And there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ And He said to them, “Why are you afraid^[ac]? Do you not yet have faith?” ⁴¹ And they feared a great fear^[ad]. And they were saying to one another, “Who then is this One, that^[ae] even^[af] the wind and the sea obey Him?”