M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Make Aaron and His Sons Priests(A)
29 ⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “Now, this is what you must do in order to set Aaron and his sons apart to serve me as priests:
“Take a young bull that has no defects and two rams that have no defects. 2 Use the finest wheat flour, but no yeast, and bake some loaves of bread, some rings of bread made with olive oil, and some wafers brushed with olive oil. 3 Put the bread in a basket, and bring the basket along with the young bull and the two rams.
4 “Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them. 5 Take the clothes, and put them on Aaron—the linen robe, the ephod and the robe that is worn with it, and the breastplate. Use the belt to tie it on him tightly. 6 Put his turban on him, and fasten the holy crown to it. 7 Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him.
8 “Have his sons come forward. Dress them in their linen robes, 9 and put turbans on them. Tie belts around the waists of Aaron and his sons. They alone are to be priests; this is a permanent law. In this way you will ordain Aaron and his sons.
10 “Then bring the young bull to the front of the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head. 11 Slaughter the bull in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 Take some of the bull’s blood, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger. Pour the rest of it out at the bottom of the altar.
13 “Then take all the fat that covers the internal organs, the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But burn the bull’s meat, skin, and excrement outside the camp. It is an offering for sin.
15 “Take one of the rams. Then Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head. 16 Slaughter it, take the blood, and throw it against the altar on all sides. 17 Cut the ram into pieces, wash the internal organs and legs, and put them with the other pieces and the head. 18 Then burn the whole ram on the altar. It’s a burnt offering, a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
19 “Take the other ram. Then Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head. 20 Slaughter it, take some of the blood, and put it on the right ear lobes of Aaron and his sons, on their right thumbs, and on the big toes of their right feet. Throw the ⌞rest of the⌟ blood against the altar on all sides. 21 Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. In this way Aaron, his sons, and their clothes will be holy.
22 “From this ⌞same⌟ ram take the fat, the fat from the tail, the fat that covers the internal organs, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.) 23 From the basket of unleavened bread which is in the Lord’s presence, take a round loaf of bread, a ring of bread made with olive oil, and a wafer. 24 Put all of these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, who will offer them to the Lord. 25 Then take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering. It’s a soothing aroma in the Lord’s presence, an offering by fire to the Lord.
26 “Take the breast from the ram used for Aaron’s ordination, and present it to the Lord. This will be your share. 27 Set apart as holy the breast that is offered to the Lord and the thigh that is the contribution. Both will come from the ram used for the ordination. They both belong to Aaron and his sons. 28 It is a permanent law that the Israelites give this portion to Aaron and his sons as a contribution. This will also be their contribution to the Lord from the fellowship offerings.
29 “Aaron’s holy clothes will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them. 30 The son who succeeds him as priest—the one who goes into the tent of meeting to serve in the holy place—will wear them for seven days.
31 “Take the ram used for the ordination, and boil its meat in a holy place. 32 At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons will eat the meat of the ram and the bread ⌞left⌟ in the basket. 33 They will eat those offerings through which they made peace with the Lord at their ordination and installation. No one else may eat them because the offerings are holy. 34 If any meat or bread from the ordination is left over until morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten because it is holy.
35 “Do this with Aaron and his sons exactly as I have commanded you. Take seven days to ordain them. 36 Each day sacrifice a young bull as an offering to make peace with the Lord. Sacrifice this offering for sin on the altar in order to pay for its sins. Then anoint it ⌞with olive oil⌟ in order to dedicate it. 37 For seven days at the altar make peace with the Lord and set the altar apart for its holy purpose. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will become holy.
38 “This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly every day: two one-year-old lambs. 39 Offer one in the morning and the other at dusk. 40 With the first lamb make an offering of eight cups of flour mixed with one quart of virgin olive oil. Make a wine offering of one quart of wine. 41 Offer the other lamb at dusk, and with it make the same grain offering and wine offering as in the morning. This is a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.
42 “For generations to come this will be the daily burnt offering ⌞made⌟ in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. There I will meet with you to speak to you. 43 I will also meet with the Israelites there, and my glory will make this place holy. 44 I will dedicate the tent of meeting and the altar for their holy purposes. I will set Aaron and his sons apart for their holy duties of serving me as priests.
45 “Then I will live among the Israelites and be their God. 46 They will know that I am the Lord their God. I brought them out of Egypt so that I might live among them. I am the Lord their God.”
A Woman Caught in Adultery
8 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early the next morning he returned to the temple courtyard. All the people went to him, so he sat down and began to teach them.
3 The experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of everyone 4 and asked Jesus, “Teacher, we caught this woman in the act of adultery. 5 In his teachings, Moses ordered us to stone women like this to death. What do you say?” 6 They asked this to test him. They wanted to find a reason to bring charges against him.
Jesus bent down and used his finger to write on the ground. 7 When they persisted in asking him questions, he straightened up and said, “The person who is sinless should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground.
9 One by one, beginning with the older men, the experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees left. Jesus was left alone with the woman. 10 Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Where did they go? Has anyone condemned you?”
11 The woman answered, “No one, sir.”
Jesus said, “I don’t condemn you either. Go! From now on don’t sin.”
Jesus Speaks with the Pharisees about His Father
12 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will have a life filled with light and will never live in the dark.”
13 The Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony isn’t true.”
14 Jesus replied to them, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is true because I know where I came from and where I’m going. However, you don’t know where I came from or where I’m going. 15 You judge the way humans do. I don’t judge anyone. 16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is valid because I don’t make it on my own. I make my judgment with the Father who sent me. 17 Your own teachings say that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I testify on my own behalf, and so does the Father who sent me.”
19 The Pharisees asked him, “Where is your father?”
Jesus replied, “You don’t know me or my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”
20 Jesus spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury area of the temple courtyard. No one arrested him, because his time had not yet come.
21 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. He said, “I’m going away, and you’ll look for me. But you will die because of your sin. You can’t go where I’m going.”
22 Then the Jews asked, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means when he says, ‘You can’t go where I’m going’?”
23 Jesus said to them, “You’re from below. I’m from above. You’re from this world. I’m not from this world. 24 For this reason I told you that you’ll die because of your sins. If you don’t believe that I am the one, you’ll die because of your sins.”
25 The Jews asked him, “Who did you say you are?”
Jesus told them, “I am who I said I was from the beginning. 26 I have a lot I could say about you and a lot I could condemn you for. But the one who sent me is true. So I tell the world exactly what he has told me.” 27 (The Jews didn’t know that he was talking to them about the Father.)
28 So Jesus told them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you’ll know that I am the one and that I can’t do anything on my own. Instead, I speak as the Father taught me. 29 Besides, the one who sent me is with me. He hasn’t left me by myself. I always do what pleases him.”
30 As Jesus was saying this, many people believed in him. 31 So Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you live by what I say, you are truly my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They replied to Jesus, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and we’ve never been anyone’s slaves. So how can you say that we will be set free?”
34 Jesus answered them, “I can guarantee this truth: Whoever lives a sinful life is a slave to sin. 35 A slave doesn’t live in the home forever, but a son does. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be absolutely free. 37 I know that you’re Abraham’s descendants. However, you want to kill me because you don’t like what I’m saying. 38 What I’m saying is what I have seen in my Father’s presence. But you do what you’ve heard from your father.”
39 The Jews replied to Jesus, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus told them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did. 40 I am a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. But now you want to kill me. Abraham wouldn’t have done that. 41 You’re doing what your father does.”
The Jews said to Jesus, “We’re not illegitimate children. God is our only Father.”
42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me. After all, I’m here, and I came from God. I didn’t come on my own. Instead, God sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand the language I use? Is it because you can’t understand the words I use? 44 You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what your father wants you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn’t know what the truth is. Whenever he tells a lie, he’s doing what comes naturally to him. He’s a liar and the father of lies. 45 So you don’t believe me because I tell the truth. 46 Can any of you convict me of committing a sin? If I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 The person who belongs to God understands what God says. You don’t understand because you don’t belong to God.”
48 The Jews replied to Jesus, “Aren’t we right when we say that you’re a Samaritan and that you’re possessed by a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I’m not possessed. I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. 50 I don’t want my own glory. But there is someone who wants it, and he is the judge. 51 I can guarantee this truth: Whoever obeys what I say will never see death.”
52 The Jews told Jesus, “Now we know that you’re possessed by a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, but you say, ‘Whoever does what I say will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets have also died. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus said, “If I bring glory to myself, my glory is nothing. My Father is the one who gives me glory, and you say that he is your God. 55 Yet, you haven’t known him. However, I know him. If I would say that I didn’t know him, I would be a liar like all of you. But I do know him, and I do what he says. 56 Your father Abraham was pleased to see that my day was coming. He saw it and was happy.”
57 The Jews said to Jesus, “You’re not even fifty years old. How could you have seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus told them, “I can guarantee this truth: Before Abraham was ever born, I am.”
59 Then some of the Jews picked up stones to throw at Jesus. However, Jesus was concealed, and he left the temple courtyard.
Avoid Adultery
5 My son,
pay attention to my wisdom.
Open your ears to my understanding
2 so that you may act with foresight
and speak with insight.
3 The lips of an adulterous woman drip with honey.
Her kiss is smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,
as sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet descend to death.
Her steps lead straight to hell.
6 She doesn’t even think about the path of life.
Her steps wander, and she doesn’t realize it.
7 But now, sons,
listen to me,
and do not turn away from what I say to you.
8 Stay far away from her.
Do not even go near her door.
9 Either you will surrender your reputation to others
and ⌞the rest of⌟ your years to some cruel person,
10 or strangers will benefit from your strength
and you will have to work hard in a pagan’s house.
11 Then you will groan when your end comes,
when your body and flesh are consumed.
You will say,
12 “Oh, how I hated discipline!
How my heart despised correction!
13 I didn’t listen to what my teachers said to me,
nor did I keep my ear open to my instructors.
14 I almost reached total ruin
in the assembly and in the congregation.”
15 Drink water out of your own cistern
and running water from your own well.
16 Why should water flow out of your spring?
Why should your streams flow into the streets?
17 They should be yours alone,
so do not share them with strangers.
18 Let your own fountain be blessed,
and enjoy the girl you married when you were young,
19 a loving doe and a graceful deer.[a]
Always let her breasts satisfy you.
Always be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why should you, my son,
be intoxicated with an adulterous woman
and fondle a loose woman’s breast?
21 Each person’s ways are clearly seen by the Lord,
and he surveys all his actions.
22 A wicked person will be trapped by his own wrongs,
and he will be caught in the ropes of his own sin.
23 He will die for his lack of discipline
and stumble around because of his great stupidity.
You Are God’s Children
4 Let me explain further. As long as an heir is a child, he is no better off than a slave, even though he owns everything. 2 He is placed under the control of guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 It was the same way with us. When we were children, we were slaves to the principles of this world. 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son ⌞into the world⌟. A woman gave birth to him, and he came under the control of the laws given to Moses. 5 God sent him to pay for the freedom of those who were controlled by these laws so that we would be adopted as his children. 6 Because you are God’s children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into us to call out, “Abba! [a] Father!” 7 So you are no longer slaves but God’s children. Since you are God’s children, God has also made you heirs.
8 When you didn’t know God, you were slaves to things which are really not gods at all. 9 But now you know God, or rather, God knows you. So how can you turn back again to the powerless and bankrupt principles of this world? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again? 10 You religiously observe days, months, seasons, and years! 11 I’m afraid for you. Maybe the hard work I spent on you has been wasted.
What Happened to Your Positive Attitude?
12 Brothers and sisters, I beg you to become like me. After all, I became like you were.
You didn’t do anything wrong to me. 13 You know that the first time I brought you the Good News I was ill. 14 Even though my illness was difficult for you, you didn’t despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were God’s messenger [b] or Christ Jesus himself. 15 What happened to your positive attitude? It’s a fact that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Can it be that I have become your enemy for telling you the truth?
17 These people ⌞who distort the Good News⌟ are devoted to you, but not in a good way. They don’t want you to associate with me so that you will be devoted only to them. 18 (Devotion to a good cause is always good, even when I’m not with you.)
19 My children, I am suffering birth pains for you again until Christ is formed in you. 20 I wish I were with you right now so that I could change the tone of my voice. I’m completely puzzled by what you’ve done!
You Are Children of the Promise
21 Those who want to be controlled by Moses’ laws should tell me something. Are you really listening to what Moses’ Teachings say? 22 Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by a woman who was a slave and the other by a free woman. 23 Now, the son of the slave woman was conceived in a natural way, but the son of the free woman was conceived through a promise ⌞made to Abraham⌟.
24 I’m going to use these historical events as an illustration. The women illustrate two arrangements.[c] The one woman, Hagar, is the arrangement made on Mount Sinai. Her children are born into slavery. 25 Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia. She is like Jerusalem today because she and her children are slaves. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 Scripture says:
“Rejoice, women who cannot get pregnant,
who cannot give birth to any children!
Break into shouting, those who feel no pains of childbirth!
Because the deserted woman will have more children
than the woman who has a husband.”
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise like Isaac.
29 Furthermore, at that time the son who was conceived in a natural way persecuted the son conceived in a spiritual way. That’s exactly what’s happening now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, because the son of the slave woman must never share the inheritance with the son of the free woman.” 31 Brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman but of the free woman.
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.