M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
5 1 And having seen the crowds, He went up on the mountain. And He having sat-down, His disciples[a] came to Him. 2 And having opened His mouth He was teaching[b] them[c], saying—
These Are The Ones God Considers Blessed
3 “Blessed[d] are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. 4 Blessed are the ones mourning, because they[e] will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the gentle ones, because they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are the ones hungering and thirsting as to righteousness, because they will be filled-to-satisfaction. 7 Blessed are the merciful ones, because they will be shown-mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God[f]. 10 Blessed are the ones having been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. 11 You are blessed ones whenever they reproach you and persecute you and speak every [kind of] evil against you while lying, because-of [g] Me. 12 Be rejoicing and be overjoyed, because your reward is great in the heavens. For in this manner they persecuted the prophets before you.
You Are Salt And Light. Salt Must Be Tasty. Light Must Shine
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should become-tasteless, with what will it be salted[h]? It no longer has strength for anything except, having been thrown outside, to be trampled-underfoot by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city lying on a hill is not able to be hidden. 15 Nor do they burn a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand— and it shines on all the ones in the house. 16 In this manner, let your light shine in front of people so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.
I Came To Fulfill The Law. Your Righteousness Must Abound More Than The Pharisees
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish[i] the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill[j]. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one iota[k] or one stroke[l] will by no means pass away from the Law until all things take-place[m]. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks[n] one of the least of these commandments and in this manner teaches people— he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does and teaches them— this one will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. 20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness abounds more[o] than [that of] the scribes and Pharisees, you will by-no-means[p] enter into the kingdom of the heavens!
Some Say Do Not Murder. I Say Do Not Get Angry
21 “You heard that it was said to[q] the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder’, and ‘Whoever murders shall be liable[r] to the judgment’. 22 But I say to you that everyone being angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca’[s], shall be liable to the Sanhedrin. And whoever says, ‘Fool’[t], shall be liable to the Gehenna[u] of [v] fire. 23 Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then, having come, be offering your gift. 25 Be settling with your adversary quickly— until[w] you are with him on the way [to court]— that your adversary might not perhaps hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will by no means come out from there until you pay the last quadrans[x].
Some Say Do Not Commit Adultery. I Say Do Not Desire Another Woman
27 “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit-adultery’. 28 But I say to you that everyone looking-at a woman so-as to desire[y] her already committed-adultery-with her in his heart. 29 And if your right eye is causing you to fall, tear it out[z] and throw it from you. For it is better[aa] for you that one of your body-parts perish and your whole body not be thrown into Gehenna. 30 And if your right hand is causing you to fall, cut it off and throw it from you. For it is better for you that one of your body-parts perish and your whole body not go into Gehenna.
Some Say Get a Legal Divorce. I Say Divorcees Who Remarry Commit Adultery
31 “And it was said, ‘Whoever sends-away[ab] his wife, let him give her a divorce[ac] certificate’. 32 But I say to you that everyone sending-away his wife except for a matter[ad] of sexual-immorality is causing her to commit-adultery[ae]. And whoever marries a woman having been sent-away [from her husband] is committing-adultery.
Some Say Do Not Break Your Oath. I Say Do Not Swear an Oath At All
33 “Again, you heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not break-your-oath[af], but you shall pay your oaths to the Lord’. 34 But I say to you not to swear-with-an-oath[ag] at all— 35 neither by heaven, because it is the throne of God; nor by earth, because it is a footstool of His feet; nor with reference to Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; 36 nor may you swear-with-an-oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’, [or] ‘No, no’. And the thing beyond these is from[ah] the evil one.
Some Say Avenge an Eye For an Eye. I Say Do Not Retaliate, But Do The Opposite
38 “You heard that it was said, ‘An eye for[ai] an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’. 39 But I say to you not to resist[aj] the evil person. But whoever slaps[ak] you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 And to the one wanting to sue you and take your tunic[al], permit him also the cloak. 41 And whoever will press you into service[am] for one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away from the one wanting to borrow from you.
Some Say Hate Your Enemies. I Say Love Them And Pray For Them
43 “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. 44 But I say to you, be loving your enemies, and be praying for the ones persecuting you, 45 so that you may prove-to-be[an] sons of your Father[ao] in the heavens— because He causes His sun to rise upon evil and good ones, and He sends rain upon righteous and unrighteous ones. 46 For if you love the ones loving you, what reward do you have? Are not even the tax-collectors doing the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not even the Gentiles[ap] doing the same?
Be Perfect Reflections of Your Heavenly Father
48 “Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Ananias And Sapphira Sell a Property, But Deceive The Church About Their Generosity
5 But a certain man, Ananias by name, along with his wife Sapphira, sold property. 2 And he kept-back[a] some of the proceeds, his wife also having shared-the-knowledge. And having brought a certain part of it, he laid it at the feet of the apostles. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, for what reason did Satan fill your heart that you should lie-to the Holy Spirit and keep-back some of the proceeds of the land? 4 While remaining unsold, was it not remaining yours? And having been sold, was it not within your authority? Why is it that you put this thing in your heart? You did not lie to people, but to God”. 5 And Ananias, hearing these words, having fallen-down, expired. And great fear came upon all the ones hearing it. 6 And having arisen, the younger men wrapped him up. And having carried him out, they buried him. 7 Now an interval of about three hours took place, and his wife came in— not knowing the thing having happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you[b] two sold the land for so much?” And the one said, “Yes, for so much”. 9 And Peter said to her, “Why is it that it was agreed by you two to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold— the feet of the ones having buried your husband are at the door. And they will carry you out”. 10 And she fell at-once at his feet, and expired. And having come in, the young-men found her dead. And having carried her out, they buried her with her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all the ones hearing-of these things.
The Apostles Continue To Speak And Do Miracles. Multitudes Believe. Many Are Healed
12 Now many signs and wonders were taking place through the hands of the apostles among the people. And they were all with-one-accord in the portico[c] of Solomon. 13 But none of the rest[d] was daring to join[e] them, yet the people were magnifying them. 14 And more people believing in the Lord[f] were being added— multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they were even bringing-out the sick into the wide-roads and putting them on little-beds and cots, in order that while Peter was coming, if-even[g] his shadow might overshadow one of them. 16 And the multitude from the cities around Jerusalem was also coming-together, bringing sick ones and ones being troubled by unclean spirits, who all were being cured.
The Jewish Leaders Jail The Apostles Again, But an Angel Lets Them Out
17 And having arisen, the high priest and all the ones with him— the sect[h] of the Sadducees existing there— were filled with jealousy. 18 And they put their hands on the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord— having opened the doors of the prison during the night, and having led them out— said, 20 “Go! And having stood, be speaking in the temple to the people all the words of this life”. 21 And having heard, they entered into the temple at dawn[i] and were teaching.
The Apostles Are Found In The Temple, And Are Brought Before The Sanhedrin
And having arrived, the high priest and the ones with him called together the Sanhedrin— even the whole council-of-elders of the sons of Israel. And they sent-out officers to the jailhouse that they might be brought. 22 But having arrived, the officers did not find them in the prison. And having returned, they reported, 23 saying that “We found the jailhouse having been locked with all security, and the guards standing at the doors. But having opened, we found no one inside”. 24 And when both the captain of the temple [guard] and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly-perplexed about them as to what this would become. 25 But having arrived, someone reported to them that “Behold— the men whom you put in the prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people”. 26 Then the captain, having gone away with the officers, was bringing them— not with violence (for they were fearing the people, that they might be stoned).
Peter Responds: God Raised Jesus As The Savior of Israel. We Are Witnesses
27 And having brought them, they stood them in the council[j] [chamber]. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “Did we not command you with a command not to be teaching on the basis of this name? And behold— you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. And you intend[k] to bring the blood of this man upon us”. 29 But having responded, Peter and the apostles said, “It-is-necessary to obey God rather than people. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus— Whom you murdered, having hung Him on a cross. 31 God exalted this One to His right hand as Leader[l] and Savior, that He might grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses of these things. And so is the Holy Spirit, Whom God gave to the ones obeying Him”. 33 And the ones having heard it were infuriated, and were intending to kill them.
Gamaliel Advises a Wait-And-See Approach. The Apostles Are Beaten And Released
34 But having stood up, a certain Pharisee in the Sanhedrin— Gamaliel by name, a Law-teacher honored by all the people— gave-orders to make the men be outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men, Israelites, take heed to yourselves as to what you are about to do to these men. 36 For before these days, Theudas arose saying that he was somebody, with whom a number of men joined-up (about four-hundred)— who was killed. And all who were being persuaded[m] by him were dispersed, and they became nothing. 37 After this one, Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the registration[n] and drew-away a group-of-people after him. That one also perished, and all who were being persuaded by him were scattered. 38 And as to the things now, I say to you, draw-away from these men and leave them alone. Because if this plan or this work should be from humans, it will be overthrown[o]; 39 but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them— that you indeed may not perhaps be found to be fighting-against-God”. And they were persuaded by him. 40 And having summoned the apostles, having beaten them, they commanded them not to be speaking on the basis of the name of Jesus, and released them.
The Apostles Rejoice In Their Mistreatment, And Continue Proclaiming Jesus As Messiah
41 So indeed the ones were going from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they were considered-worthy to be dishonored for the[p] Name. 42 And every day, in the temple and house by house, they were not ceasing teaching and announcing-the-good-news as to Jesus, the Christ[q].
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing