M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Song of Moses
15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:
“I will sing to the Lord.
He has won a glorious victory.
He has thrown horses and their riders into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song.
He is my Savior.
This is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will honor him.
3 The Lord is a warrior!
The Lord is his name.
4 He has thrown Pharaoh’s chariots and army into the sea.
Pharaoh’s best officers were drowned in the Red Sea.
5 The deep water covered them.
They sank to the bottom like a rock.
6 Your right hand, O Lord, wins glory because it is strong.
Your right hand, O Lord, smashes your enemies.
7 With your unlimited majesty, you destroyed those who attacked you.
You sent out your burning anger.
It burned them up like straw.
8 With a blast from your nostrils, the water piled up.
The waves stood up like a dam.
The deep water thickened in the middle of the sea.
9 “The enemy said, ‘I’ll pursue them!
I’ll catch up with them!
I’ll divide the loot!
I’ll take all I want!
I’ll use my sword!
I’ll take all they have!’
10 Your breath blew the sea over them.
They sank like lead in the raging water.
11 “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord?
Who is like you?
You are glorious because of your holiness
and awe-inspiring because of your splendor.
You perform miracles.
12 You stretched out your right hand.
The earth swallowed them.
13 “Lovingly, you will lead the people you have saved.
Powerfully, you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
14 People will hear of it and tremble.
The people of Philistia will be in anguish.
15 The tribal leaders of Edom will be terrified.
The powerful men of Moab will tremble.
The people of Canaan will be deathly afraid.
16 Terror and dread will fall on them.
Because of the power of your arm, they will be petrified
until your people pass by, O Lord,
until the people you purchased pass by.
17 You will bring them and plant them on your own mountain,
the place where you live, O Lord,
the holy place that you built with your own hands, O Lord.
18 The Lord will rule as king forever and ever.”
19 When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and cavalry went into the sea, the Lord made the water of the sea flow back over them. However, the Israelites had gone through the sea on dry ground.
The Song of Miriam
20 Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women, dancing with tambourines, followed her. 21 Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord.
He has won a glorious victory.
He has thrown horses and their riders into the sea.”
God Provides Water for the Israelites
22 Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea into the desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink the water because it tasted bitter. That’s why the place was called Marah [Bitter Place]. 24 The people complained about Moses by asking, “What are we supposed to drink?”
25 Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed [a] him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord set down laws and rules for them to live by, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what he considers right, if you pay attention to his commands and obey all his laws, I will never make you suffer any of the diseases I made the Egyptians suffer, because I am the Lord, who heals you.”
27 Next, they went to Elim, where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there by the water.
God Will Help His People
18 Jesus used this illustration with his disciples to show them that they need to pray all the time and never give up. 2 He said, “In a city there was a judge who didn’t fear God or respect people. 3 In that city there was also a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice.’
4 “For a while the judge refused to do anything. But then he thought, ‘This widow really annoys me. Although I don’t fear God or respect people, 5 I’ll have to give her justice. Otherwise, she’ll keep coming to me until she wears me out.’ ”
6 The Lord added, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge thought. 7 Won’t God give his chosen people justice when they cry out to him for help day and night? Is he slow to help them? 8 I can guarantee that he will give them justice quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
A Pharisee and a Tax Collector
9 Jesus also used this illustration with some who were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else. 10 He said, “Two men went into the temple courtyard to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people! I’m not a robber or a dishonest person. I haven’t committed adultery. I’m not even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my entire income.’
13 “But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
14 “I can guarantee that this tax collector went home with God’s approval, but the Pharisee didn’t. Everyone who honors himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be honored.”
Jesus Blesses Children(A)
15 Some people brought infants to Jesus to have him hold them. When the disciples saw this, they told the people not to do that.
16 But Jesus called the infants to him and said, “Don’t stop the children from coming to me! Children like these are part of God’s kingdom. 17 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever doesn’t receive God’s kingdom as a little child receives it will never enter it.”
Eternal Life in the Kingdom(B)
18 An official asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God. 20 You know the commandments: Never commit adultery. Never murder. Never steal. Never give false testimony. Honor your father and your mother.”
21 The official replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was a boy.”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still need one thing. Sell everything you have. Distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!”
23 When the official heard this, he became sad, because he was very rich. 24 Jesus watched him and said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.”
26 Those who heard him asked, “Who, then, can be saved?”
27 Jesus said, “The things that are impossible for people to do are possible for God to do.”
28 Then Peter said, “We’ve left everything to follow you.”
29 Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Anyone who gave up his home, wife, brothers, parents, or children because of God’s kingdom 30 will certainly receive many times as much in this life and will receive eternal life in the world to come.”
For the Third Time Jesus Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life(C)
31 Jesus took the twelve apostles aside and said to them, “We’re going to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to foreigners. They will make fun of him, insult him, spit on him, 33 whip him, and kill him. But on the third day he will come back to life.”
34 But they didn’t understand any of this. What he said was a mystery to them, and they didn’t know what he meant.
Jesus Gives Sight to a Blind Man(D)
35 As Jesus came near Jericho, a blind man was sitting and begging by the road. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he tried to find out what was happening. 37 The people told him that Jesus from Nazareth was passing by. 38 Then the blind man shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 The people at the front of the crowd told the blind man to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him. When the man came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man said, “Lord, I want to see again.”
42 Jesus told him, “Receive your sight! Your faith has made you well.” 43 Immediately, he could see again. He followed Jesus and praised God. All the people saw this, and they, too, praised God.
Elihu Continues: Listen, Job
33 “Please, Job, listen to my words
and consider everything I say.
2 I’ve opened my mouth.
The words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words are straight from the heart,
and I sincerely speak the knowledge that is on my lips.
4 “God’s Spirit has made me.
The breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me if you can.
Present your case to me, and take your stand.
6 Indeed, I stand in front of God as you do.
I, too, was formed from a piece of clay.
7 You certainly don’t need to be terrified of me.
I won’t put too much pressure on you.
God Doesn’t Have to Answer You, Job
8 “But you spoke directly to me,
and I listened to your words.
9 ⌞You said,⌟ ‘I’m pure—without any rebellious acts ⌞against God⌟.
I’m clean; I have no sin.
10 God is only looking for an excuse to attack me.
He considers me his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’
12 You aren’t right about this!
I’ve got an answer for you:
God is greater than any mortal.
13 Why do you quarrel with him
since he doesn’t answer any questions?
Two Ways God Warns People
14 “God speaks in one way,
even in two ways without people noticing it:
15 In a dream, a prophetic vision at night,
when people fall into a deep sleep,
when they sleep on their beds,
16 he opens people’s ears
and terrifies them with warnings.
17 ⌞He warns them⌟ to turn away from doing ⌞wrong⌟
and to stop being arrogant.[a]
18 He keeps their souls from the pit
and their lives from crossing the River ⌞of Death⌟.
19 In pain on their sickbeds, they are disciplined
with endless aching in their bones
20 so that their whole being hates food
and they lose their appetite for a delicious meal.
21 Their flesh becomes so thin that it can’t be seen.
Their bones, not seen before, will be exposed.
22 Their souls approach the pit.
Their lives come close to those already dead.
A Third Way God Warns People
23 “If they have a messenger for them,
a spokesman, one in a thousand,
to tell people what is right for them,
24 then he will have pity on them and say,
‘Free them from going into the pit.
I have found a ransom.’
25 Then their flesh will become softer than a child’s.
They will go back to the days of their youth.
26 They will pray to God, who will be pleased with them.
They will see God’s face and shout for joy
as he restores their righteousness.[b]
27 Each one sings in front of other people and says,
‘I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right,
and it did me no good.
28 The messenger has freed my soul from going into the pit,
and my life will see the light.’
29 Truly, God does all this two or three times with people
30 to turn their souls away from the pit
and to enlighten them with the light of life.
Pay Attention, Job
31 “Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
Keep quiet, and let me speak.
32 If you have a response, answer me.
Speak, because I’d be happy if you were right.
33 If not, you listen to me.
Keep quiet, and I’ll teach you wisdom.”
The Ministry That Comes from Christ Is Greater Than Moses’ Ministry
3 Do we have to show you our qualifications again? Do we, like some people, need letters that recommend us to you or letters from you that recommend us to others? 2 You’re our letter of recommendation written in our hearts that everyone knows and reads. 3 It’s clear that you are Christ’s letter, written as a result of our ministry. You are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, a letter written not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Christ gives us confidence about you in God’s presence. 5 By ourselves we are not qualified in any way to claim that we can do anything. Rather, God makes us qualified. 6 He has also qualified us to be ministers of a new promise,[a] a spiritual promise, not a written one. Clearly, what was written brings death, but the Spirit brings life.
7 The ministry that brought death was inscribed on stone. Yet, it came with such glory that the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face. His face was shining with glory, even though that glory was fading. 8 Won’t the ministry that brings the Spirit have even more glory? 9 If the ministry that brings punishment has glory, then the ministry that brings God’s approval has an overwhelming glory. 10 In fact, the ministry that brings punishment lost its glory because of the superior glory of the other ministry. 11 If that former ministry faded away despite its glory, how much more does that ministry which remains continue to be glorious?
12 Since we have confidence ⌞in the new promise⌟, we speak very boldly. 13 We are not like Moses. He kept covering his face with a veil. He didn’t want the people of Israel to see the glory fading away. 14 However, their minds became closed. In fact, to this day the same veil is still there when they read the Old Testament. It isn’t removed, because only Christ can remove it. 15 Yet, even today, when they read the books of Moses, a veil covers their minds. 16 But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 This Lord is the Spirit. Wherever the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. 18 As all of us reflect the Lord’s glory with faces that are not covered with veils, we are being changed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
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