M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Lot’s Guests Are Assaulted
19 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed with his face touching the ground. 2 He said, “Please, gentlemen, why don’t you come to my home and spend the night? You can wash your feet there. Then early tomorrow morning you can continue your journey.”
“No,” they answered, “we’d rather spend the night in the city square.”
3 But he insisted so strongly that they came with him and went into his home. He prepared a special dinner for them, baked some unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the young and old male citizens of Sodom surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to stay with you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
6 Then Lot went outside and shut the door behind him. 7 “Please, my friends, don’t be so wicked,” he said. 8 “Look, I have two daughters who have never had sex. Why don’t you let me bring them out to you? Do whatever you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, since I’m responsible for them.”
9 But the men yelled, “Get out of the way! This man came here to stay awhile. Now he wants to be our judge! We’re going to treat you worse than those men.” They pushed hard against Lot and lunged forward to break down the door. 10 The men inside reached out, pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 Then they struck all the men who were in the doorway of the house, young and old alike, with blindness so that they gave up trying to find the door.
Lot Leaves Sodom, and the Cities Are Destroyed
12 Then the men asked Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—any in-laws, sons, daughters, or any other relatives in the city? Get them out of here 13 because we’re going to destroy this place. The complaints to Yahweh against its people are so loud that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.”
14 So Lot went out and spoke to the men engaged to his daughters. He said, “Hurry! Get out of this place, because Yahweh is going to destroy the city.” But they thought he was joking.
15 As soon as it was dawn, the angels urged Lot by saying, “Quick! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you’ll be swept away when the city is punished.” 16 When he hesitated, the men grabbed him, his wife, and his two daughters by their hands, because Yahweh wanted to spare Lot. They brought them safely outside the city. 17 As soon as they were outside, one of the angels said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stop on the plain. Run for the hills, or you’ll be swept away!”
18 Lot answered, “Oh no! 19 Even though you’ve been so good to me and though you’ve been very kind to me by saving my life, I can’t run as far as the hills. This disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. 20 Look, there’s a city near enough to flee to, and it’s small. Why don’t you let me run there? Isn’t it small? Then my life will be saved.”
21 The angel said to him, “Alright, I will grant you this request too. I will not destroy the city you’re talking about. 22 Run there quickly, because I can’t do anything until you get there.” (The city is named Zoar [Small].)
23 The sun had just risen over the land as Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then Yahweh made burning sulfur and fire rain out of heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah. 25 He destroyed those cities, the whole plain, all who lived in the cities, and whatever grew on the ground. 26 Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a column of salt.
27 Early the next morning Abraham came to the place where he had stood in front of Yahweh. 28 When he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land in the plain, he saw smoke rising from the land like the thick smoke of a furnace.
29 When Elohim destroyed the cities on the plain, Elohim remembered Abraham. Lot was allowed to escape from the destruction that came to the cities where he was living.
Lot’s Daughters Have Sons by Their Father
30 Lot left Zoar because he was afraid to stay there. He and his two daughters settled in the mountains where they lived in a cave. 31 The older daughter said to the younger one, “Our father is old. No men are here. We can’t get married as other people do. 32 Let’s give our father wine to drink. Then we’ll go to bed with him so that we’ll be able to preserve our family line through our father.” 33 That night they gave their father wine to drink. Then the older one went to bed with her father. He didn’t know when she came to bed or when she got up. 34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger one, “I did it! Last night I went to bed with my father. Let’s give him wine to drink again tonight. Then you go to bed with him so that we’ll be able to preserve our family line through our father.” 35 That night they gave their father wine to drink again. Then the younger one went to bed with him. He didn’t know when she came to bed or when she got up. 36 So Lot’s two daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older one gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben Ammi. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.
Greatness in the Kingdom(A)
18 At that time the disciples came to Yeshua and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 Then he said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.
Causing Others to Lose Faith(B)
6 “These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be drowned in the sea with a large stone hung around his neck. 7 How horrible it will be for the world because it causes people to lose their faith. Situations that cause people to lose their faith will arise. How horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith!
8 “If your hand or your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life disabled or injured than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. 9 If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire.
10 “Be careful not to despise these little ones. I can guarantee that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father, who is in heaven.[a]
The Lost Sheep(C)
12 “What do you think? Suppose a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep in the hills to look for the one that has strayed? 13 I can guarantee this truth: If he finds it, he is happier about it than about the 99 that have not strayed. 14 In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want one of these little ones to be lost.
Dealing with Believers When They Do Wrong
15 “If a believer does something wrong,[b] go, confront him when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back that believer. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you so that every accusation may be verified by two or three witnesses. 17 If he ignores these witnesses, tell it to the community of believers. If he also ignores the community, deal with him as you would a heathen or a tax collector. 18 I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.
19 “I can guarantee again that if two of you agree on anything here on earth, my Father in heaven will accept it. 20 Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
Personally Forgiving Others
21 Then Peter came to Yeshua and asked him, “Lord, how often do I have to forgive a believer who wrongs me? Seven times?”
22 Yeshua answered him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy times seven.
23 “That is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to do this, a servant who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him. 25 Because he could not pay off the debt, the master ordered him, his wife, his children, and all that he had to be sold to pay off the account. 26 Then the servant fell at his master’s feet and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay everything!’
27 “The master felt sorry for his servant, freed him, and canceled his debt. 28 But when that servant went away, he found a servant who owed him hundreds of dollars. He grabbed the servant he found and began to choke him. ‘Pay what you owe!’ he said.
29 “Then that other servant fell at his feet and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 30 But he refused. Instead, he turned away and had that servant put into prison until he would repay what he owed.
31 “The other servants who worked with him saw what had happened and felt very sad. They told their master the whole story.
32 “Then his master sent for him and said to him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled your entire debt, because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you have treated the other servant as mercifully as I treated you?’
34 “His master was so angry that he handed him over to the torturers until he would repay everything that he owed. 35 That is what my Father in heaven will do to you if each of you does not sincerely forgive other believers.”
The Public Reading of Moses’ Teachings
8 When the seventh month came, all the people gathered together in the courtyard in front of Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of Moses’ Teachings, which Yahweh had commanded Israel to follow. 2 Then Ezra the priest brought the Teachings in front of the assembly. This included men, women, and any children who could understand what they heard. This took place on the first day of the seventh month. 3 From daybreak until noon, he read from it in the courtyard in front of Water Gate to the men, women, and children who could understand it. All the people listened to the Book of Moses’ Teachings.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a raised wooden platform made for this occasion. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right. Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam stood beside him on his left. 5 Ezra, standing higher than all the other people, opened the book in front of all the people. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra thanked Yahweh, the great Elohim. All the people responded, “Amen! Amen!” as they raised their hands and then bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped Yahweh. 7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah—explained the Teachings to the people while they were standing there. 8 They read the Book of Elohim’s Teachings clearly and explained the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people told them, “This is a holy day for Yahweh your Elohim. Don’t mourn or cry.” All the people were crying as they listened to the reading of God’s Teachings. 10 Then he told them, “Go, eat rich foods, drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those who cannot provide for themselves. Today is a holy day for Adonay. Don’t be sad because the joy you have in Yahweh is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people by saying, “Listen. Today is a holy day. Don’t be sad.”
12 Then all the people went to eat and drink and to send portions. They had a big, joyful celebration because they understood the words that had been explained to them.
The Festival of Booths Is Observed
13 On the second day the leaders of the families of all the people, including the priests and the Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to study the words of God’s Teachings. 14 They found written in the Teachings that Yahweh had given an order through Moses that the people of Israel should live in booths during a festival in the seventh month. 15 They should announce this command and send this message throughout all their cities and Jerusalem: “Go to the mountains, and get branches—olive and wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other thick-leaved branches—to make booths as it is written.”
16 So the people went to get branches to make booths for themselves. Some made booths on their roofs, others in their courtyards, in the courtyards of Elohim’s temple, in the open area by Water Gate, or in the open area at Ephraim Gate.
17 The whole assembly that had come back from exile made booths and lived in them. From the time of Jeshua (son of Nun) to that day, the people of Israel had not done this. There was a big, joyful celebration. 18 Day by day, from the first day of the festival to the last day, Ezra continued to read from the Book of Elohim’s Teachings. The people celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, they had a closing festival assembly in accordance with the regulations.
Paul in Corinth
18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to the city of Corinth. 2 In Corinth he met a Jewish man named Aquila and his wife Priscilla. Aquila had been born in Pontus, and they had recently come from Italy because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them, 3 and because they made tents for a living as he did, he stayed with them and they worked together.
4 On every day of worship, Paul would discuss Scripture in the synagogue. He tried to win over Jews and Greeks who had converted to Judaism. 5 But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted all his time to teaching the word of God. He assured the Jews that Yeshua is the Messiah. 6 But they opposed him and insulted him. So Paul shook the dust from his clothes and told them, “You’re responsible for your own death. I’m innocent. From now on I’m going to people who are not Jewish.”
7 Then he left the synagogue and went to the home of a man named Titius Justus, who was a convert to Judaism. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 The synagogue leader Crispus and his whole family believed in the Lord. Many Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Don’t be afraid to speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 I’m with you. No one will attack you or harm you. I have many people in this city.”
11 Paul lived in Corinth for a year and a half and taught the word of God to them.
12 While Gallio was governor of Greece, the Jews had one thought in mind. They attacked Paul and brought him to court. 13 They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are against Moses’ Teachings.”
14 Paul was about to answer when Gallio said to the Jews, “If there were some kind of misdemeanor or crime involved, reason would demand that I put up with you Jews. 15 But since you’re disputing words, names, and your own teachings, you’ll have to take care of that yourselves. I don’t want to be a judge who gets involved in those things.” 16 So Gallio had them forced out of his court.
17 Then all the governor’s officers took Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio couldn’t have cared less.
Paul’s Return Trip to Antioch
18 After staying in Corinth quite a while longer, Paul left for Ephesus. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. In the city of Cenchrea, Aquila had his hair cut, since he had taken a vow. From Cenchrea they took a boat headed for Syria 19 and arrived in the city of Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. Paul went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. 20 The Jews asked him to stay longer, but he refused. 21 As he left, he told them, “I’ll come back to visit you if God wants me to.”
Paul took a boat from Ephesus 22 and arrived in the city of Caesarea. He went to Jerusalem, greeted the church, and went back to the city of Antioch.
23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, where he strengthened the faith of all the disciples.
Apollos Tells Others about Jesus
24 A Jew named Apollos, who had been born in Alexandria, arrived in the city of Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker and knew how to use the Scriptures in a powerful way. 25 He had been instructed in the Lord’s way and spoke enthusiastically. He accurately taught about Yeshua but knew only about the baptism John performed. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home with them and explained God’s way to him more accurately.
27 When Apollos wanted to travel to Greece, the believers in Ephesus encouraged him. They wrote to the disciples in Greece to tell them to welcome him. When he arrived in Greece, God’s kindness[a] enabled him to help the believers a great deal. 28 In public Apollos helped them by clearly showing from the Scriptures that Yeshua is the Messiah and that the Jews were wrong.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.