M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners’ Dreams
40 After this, the Egyptian king’s cupbearer(A) and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard(B) in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to them, and he became their personal attendant. And they were in custody for some time.[a]
5 The Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked distraught. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”(C)
8 “We had dreams,” they said to him, “but there is no one to interpret them.”
Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”(D)
9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: “In my dream there was a vine in front of me. 10 On the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
12 “This is its interpretation,”(E) Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13 In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head(F) and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand the way you used to when you were his cupbearer. 14 But when all goes well for you, remember that I was with you. Please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison. 15 For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews,(G) and even here I have done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon.”(H)
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was positive, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. Three baskets of white bread were on my head. 17 In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”
18 “This is its interpretation,” Joseph replied. “The three baskets are three days. 19 In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from off you—and hang you on a tree.[b] Then the birds will eat the flesh from your body.”[c]
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.(I) 21 Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position as cupbearer, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But Pharaoh hanged[d] the chief baker, just as Joseph had explained to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.(J)
The Question of Divorce
10 He(A) set out from there and went to the region of Judea(B) and across the Jordan.(C) Then crowds converged on Him again and, as He usually did, He began teaching(D) them once more. 2 Some Pharisees(E) approached Him to test(F) Him. They asked, “Is it lawful(G) for a man to divorce(H) his wife?”(I)
3 He replied to them, “What did Moses(J) command you?”
4 They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers(K) and send her away.”(L)
5 But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts.(M) 6 But from the beginning(N) of creation(O) God[a] made them male and female.(P)[b]
7 For this reason a man will leave(Q)
his father and mother
[and be joined to his wife],[c]
8 and the two will become one flesh.(R)[d]
So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.”(S)
10 Now in the house the disciples questioned Him again about this matter. 11 And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife(T) and marries(U) another commits adultery(V) against her. 12 Also, if she divorces her husband(W) and marries another, she commits adultery.”
Blessing the Children
13 Some(X) people were bringing little children(Y) to Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked(Z) them. 14 When Jesus saw it, He was indignant(AA) and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me.(AB) Don’t stop(AC) them, for the kingdom of God(AD) belongs to such as these. 15 I assure you:(AE) Whoever does not welcome[e](AF) the kingdom of God like a little child(AG) will never enter it.” 16 After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on(AH) them and blessed(AI) them.
The Rich Young Ruler
17 As(AJ) He was setting out on a journey,(AK) a man ran up, knelt down(AL) before Him, and asked Him, “Good(AM) Teacher,(AN) what must I do to inherit(AO) eternal life?”(AP)
18 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God.(AQ) 19 You know the commandments:
Do not murder;(AR)
do not commit adultery;(AS)
do not steal;(AT)
do not bear false witness;(AU)
do not defraud;(AV)
honor(AW) your father and mother.”(AX)[f]
20 He said to Him, “Teacher,(AY) I have kept all these from my youth.”
21 Then, looking at him, Jesus loved him(AZ) and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor,(BA) and you will have treasure(BB) in heaven.(BC) Then come,[g] follow Me.”(BD) 22 But he was stunned[h] at this demand, and he went away grieving,(BE) because he had many possessions.(BF)
Possessions and the Kingdom
23 Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth(BG) to enter the kingdom of God!”(BH) 24 But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children,(BI) how hard it is[i] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich(BJ) person to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”(BK)
27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible,(BL) but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”
28 Peter(BM) began to tell Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
29 “I assure you,”(BN) Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father,[j] children, or fields because of Me and the gospel,(BO) 30 who will not receive 100 times(BP) more, now at this time(BQ)—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions(BR)—and eternal life(BS) in the age to come.(BT) 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”(BU)
The Third Prediction of His Death
32 They(BV) were on the road, going up to Jerusalem,(BW) and Jesus was walking ahead of them. They were astonished, but those who followed Him were afraid.(BX) Taking the Twelve aside again, He began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.(BY)
33 “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man(BZ) will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,(CA) and they will condemn Him to death. Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles,(CB) 34 and they will mock Him, spit on Him, flog[k] Him, and kill Him, and He will rise(CC) after three days.”(CD)
Suffering and Service
35 Then(CE) James(CF) and John,(CG) the sons of Zebedee,(CH) approached Him and said, “Teacher,(CI) we want You to do something for us if we ask You.”
36 “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked them.
37 They answered Him, “Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory.”(CJ)
38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking.(CK) Are you able to drink the cup(CL) I drink or to be baptized with the baptism(CM) I am baptized with?”(CN)
39 “We are able,” they told Him.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.(CO) 40 But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for.” 41 When the other 10 disciples heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John.(CP)
42 Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate(CQ) them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them. 43 But it must not be like that among you.(CR) On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,(CS) 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave(CT) to all. 45 For even the Son of Man(CU) did not come to be served, but to serve,(CV) and to give His life(CW)—a ransom(CX) for many.”[l](CY)
A Blind Man Healed
46 They(CZ) came to Jericho.(DA) And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind(DB) beggar,(DC) was sitting by the road.(DD) 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene,(DE) he began to cry out, “Son of David,(DF) Jesus, have mercy(DG) on me!”(DH) 48 Many people told him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, “Have mercy on me,(DI) Son of David!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage!(DJ) Get up; He’s calling for you.” 50 He threw off his coat,(DK) jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51 Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want(DL) Me to do for you?”
“Rabbouni,”[m](DM) the blind man told Him, “I want to see!”
52 “Go your way,” Jesus told him. “Your faith has healed you.”(DN) Immediately he could see and began to follow Him on the road.
Job’s Reply to Eliphaz
6 Then Job answered:
2 If only my grief could be weighed
and my devastation(A) placed with it in the scales.(B)
3 For then it would outweigh the sand of the seas!
That is why my words are rash.
4 Surely the arrows of the Almighty have pierced[a] me;
my spirit drinks their poison.
God’s terrors are arrayed against me.(C)
5 Does a wild donkey bray over fresh grass
or an ox low over its fodder?
6 Is bland food eaten without salt?
Is there flavor in an egg white?[b]
7 I refuse to touch them;
they are like contaminated food.(D)
8 If only my request would be granted
and God would provide what I hope for:
9 that He would decide to crush me,
to unleash His power and cut me off!
10 It would still bring me comfort,
and I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain
that I have not denied[c] the words of the Holy One.(E)
11 What strength do I have that I should continue to hope?
What is my future, that I should be patient?
12 Is my strength that of stone,
or my flesh made of bronze?
13 Since I cannot help myself,
the hope for success has been banished from me.
14 A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends,[d](F)
even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers are as treacherous as a wadi,
as seasonal streams that overflow
16 and become darkened[e] because of ice,
and the snow melts into them.
17 The wadis evaporate in warm weather;
they disappear from their channels in hot weather.
18 Caravans turn away from their routes,
go up into the desert, and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema look for these streams.
The traveling merchants of Sheba hope for them.
20 They are ashamed because they had been confident of finding water.
When they arrive there, they are frustrated.(G)
21 So this is what you have now become to me.[f]
When you see something dreadful, you are afraid.
22 Have I ever said: “Give me something”
or “Pay a bribe for me from your wealth”
23 or “Deliver me from the enemy’s power”
or “Redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless”?
24 Teach me, and I will be silent.
Help me understand what I did wrong.
25 How painful honest words can be!
But what does your rebuke prove?
26 Do you think that you can disprove my words
or that a despairing man’s words are mere wind?(H)
27 No doubt you would cast lots for a fatherless child
and negotiate a price to sell your friend.(I)
Righteousness by Faith Alone
10 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them[a] is for their salvation! 2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God,(A) but not according to knowledge. 3 Because they disregarded the righteousness from God(B) and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end[b] of the law for righteousness(C) to everyone who believes.(D) 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.(E)[c] 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith(F) speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?”(G)[d] that is, to bring Christ down 7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss?”(H)[e] that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.(I) 8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.(J)[f] This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”(K) and believe in your heart(L) that God raised Him from the dead,(M) you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11 Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame,(N)[g] 12 for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek,(O) since the same Lord(P) of all(Q) is rich to all who call on Him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.(R)[h]
Israel’s Rejection of the Message
14 But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?(S) And how can they hear without a preacher?(T) 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful[i] are the feet of those[j] who announce the gospel of good things!(U)[k] 16 But all did not obey the gospel.(V) For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?(W)[l] 17 So faith comes from what is heard,(X) and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.[m](Y) 18 But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did:
19 But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said:
I will make you jealous
of those who are not a nation;(AA)
I will make you angry by a nation
that lacks understanding.(AB)[o]
20 And Isaiah says boldly:
I was found
by those who were not looking for Me;
I revealed Myself
to those who were not asking for Me.(AC)[p]
21 But to Israel he says: All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient and defiant people.(AD)[q]
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