M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Tower of Babel
11 Now[a] the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated[b] from the east they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to each other,[c] “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.”[d] And they had brick for stone and they had tar for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top reaches to the heavens. And let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
5 Then[e] Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that humankind[f] was building. 6 And Yahweh said, “Behold, they are one people with one language,[g] and this is only the beginning of what they will do.[h] So[i] now nothing that they intend to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand each other’s language.”[j] 8 So Yahweh scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, for there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth, and there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
The Descendants of Shem
10 These are the generations[k] of Shem. When Shem was one hundred years old,[l] he fathered Arphaxad, two years after the flood. 11 And Shem lived five hundred years after he fathered Arphaxad, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 12 When Arphaxad had lived thirty-five years, he fathered Shelah. 13 And Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years after he fathered Shelah, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 14 When Shelah had lived thirty years, he fathered Eber. 15 And Shelah lived four hundred and three years after he fathered Eber, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 16 When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he fathered Peleg. 17 And Eber lived four hundred and thirty years after he fathered Peleg, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 18 When Peleg had lived thirty years, he fathered Reu. 19 And Peleg lived two hundred and nine years after he fathered Reu, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 20 When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he fathered Serug. 21 And Reu lived two hundred and seven years after he fathered Serug, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 22 When Serug had lived thirty years, he fathered Nahor. 23 And Serug lived two hundred years after he fathered Nahor, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 24 When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he fathered Terah. 25 And Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years after he fathered Terah, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 26 When Terah had lived seventy years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
The Descendants of Terah
27 Now[m] these are the generations[n] of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran fathered Lot. 28 And Haran died in the presence of Terah his father in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of the wife of Abram was Sarai, and the name of the wife of Nahor was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 And Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, his grandson,[o] and Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of Abram his son, and went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. And they went to Haran, and they settled there. 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.
The Twelve Commissioned and Sent Out
10 And summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could expel them[a] and could heal every[b] disease and every[c] sickness. 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James[d] the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, 3 Philip, and Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, 4 Simon the Zealot,[e] and Judas Iscariot—the one who also betrayed him.
5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them saying, “Do not go on the road to the Gentiles, and do not enter into a city of the Samaritans, 6 but go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you[f] are going, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near!’ 8 Heal those who are sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons. Freely you have received; freely give. 9 Do not procure gold or silver or copper for your belts. 10 Do not take a traveler’s bag for the road, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for the worker is deserving of his provisions. 11 And into whatever town or village you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there until you depart. 12 And when you[g] enter into the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you[h] are going out of that house or that[i] town. 15 Truly I say to you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!
Persecution of Disciples Predicted
16 “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils, and they will flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you will be brought before both governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious how to speak[j] or what you should say, for what you should say will be given to you at that hour. 20 For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who is speaking through you.
21 “And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his children, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end—this one will be saved. 23 And whenever they persecute you in this town, flee to another, for truly I say to you, you will never finish going through the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor a slave superior to his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?
Fear God Rather Than People
26 “Therefore do not be afraid of them, because nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, but instead be afraid of the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?[k] And one of them will not fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent[l] of your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all numbered! 31 Therefore do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.
Not Peace, But a Sword of Divisiveness
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And the enemies of a man will be the members of his household.[m] 37 The one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.
On Rewards
40 “The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will never lose his reward.”
The People Respond
10 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children from Israel gathered to him. And the people wept bitterly. 2 Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, “We ourselves have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, and even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all of these women and their offspring, according to the advice of my lord and those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law. 4 Arise, for it is your task and we are with you. Be strong and do it.” 5 Then Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, Levites, and all of Israel swear to do according to what was said. So they swore this oath.
Foreign Wives and Children are Sent Away
6 Ezra rose from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He did not eat food nor drink water because he was mourning over the sin of the exiles. 7 And they sent a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles[a] to assemble in Jerusalem. 8 Anyone who did not come within three days, by decision of the officials and elders, all of his possessions would be devoted to God, and he himself would be excluded from the assembly of exiles.
9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled in Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the public square of the house of God trembling because of this matter and from the rains. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broke faith and married foreign women, increasing the guilt of Israel. 11 Now make a confession to Yahweh the God of your ancestors[b] and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.”
12 Then all the assembly answered with a great voice and said, “It is so. We must do according to your words. 13 But the people are many, and it is the time of rain; we are unable to stand outside. The task is not for one day or two, for we greatly rebelled in this matter. 14 Please let our leaders stand for the whole assembly, and let all that are in our cities who have married foreign women come at set times, and with them the elders of and judges of each city, until the fierce wrath of our God because of this matter is averted from us.” 15 Only Jehonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah stood against this, and the Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai supported them.
16 The returned exiles[c] did so. Ezra the priest selected men, the heads of the families[d] according to the house of their fathers, all of them by name. They sat down to examine the matter on the first day of the tenth month. 17 They finished investigating all the men who married foreign women by the first day of the first month.
18 There was found from the sons of the priests those who had married foreign women, from the sons of Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 They pledged themselves[e] to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt. 20 From the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 From the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 From the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Eleasah.
23 From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 And from Israel, the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah. 26 From the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27 From the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28 From the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 From the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. 30 From the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 From the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshiah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Simeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 From the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 From the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, 38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 From the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Iddo, Joel, and Benaiah. 44 All of these had married foreign wives, and some from among the wives bore children.
Cornelius Has a Vision
10 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea named[a] Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort, 2 devout and fearing God together with all his household, doing many charitable deeds for the people and praying to God continually.[b] 3 About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him and became terrified and[c] said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your charitable deeds have gone up for a memorial offering before God. 5 And now, send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon, who is also called Peter. 6 This man is staying as a guest with a certain Simon, a tanner,[d] whose house is by the sea.” 7 And when the angel who spoke to him departed, he summoned two of the household slaves and a devout soldier from those who attended him, 8 and after he[e] had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter Has a Vision
9 And the next day, as[f] they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about the sixth hour. 10 And he became hungry and wanted to eat. But while[g] they were preparing the food,[h] a trance came over him. 11 And he saw heaven opened and an object something like a large sheet coming down, being let down to the earth by its four corners, 12 in which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky. 13 And a voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, slaughter and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common and unclean!” 15 And the voice came again to him for the second time: “The things which God has made clean, you must not consider unclean!” 16 And this happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.
17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed within himself as to what the vision that he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having found the house of Simon by asking around, stood at the gate. 18 And they called out and[i] asked if Simon who was also called Peter was staying there as a guest. 19 And while[j] Peter was reflecting about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, men[k] are looking for you. 20 But get up, go down, and go with them—not hesitating at all, because I have sent them.” 21 So Peter went down to the men and[l] said, “Behold, I am he whom you are looking for! What is the reason for which you have come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man—and well spoken of by the whole nation of the Jews—was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear words from you.” 23 So he invited them in and[m] entertained them as guests, and on the next day he got up and[n] went away with them. And some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the next day he entered into Caesarea.
Peter Visits Cornelius
Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and[o] had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 So it happened that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his[p] feet, and[q] worshiped him.[r] 26 But Peter helped him up, saying, “Get up! I myself am also a man!” 27 And as he[s] conversed with him, he went in and found many people gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or to approach a foreigner. And to me God has shown that I should call no man common or unclean. 29 Therefore—and without raising any objection—I came when I[t] was sent for. So I ask for what reason you sent for me.”
30 And Cornelius said, “Four days ago at this hour,[u] the ninth, I was praying in my house. And behold, a man in shining clothing stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charitable deeds have been remembered before God. 32 Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon who is also called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner,[v] by the sea. 33 Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come.[w] So now we all are present before God to hear all the things that have been commanded to you by the Lord.”
34 So Peter opened his[x] mouth and[y] said, “In truth I understand that God is not one who shows partiality, 35 but in every nation the one who fears him and who does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 As for[z] the message that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all— 37 you know the thing that happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 Jesus of Nazareth—how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all the things that he did both in the land of the Judeans and in Jerusalem, whom they also executed by[aa] hanging him[ab] on a tree. 40 God raised this one up on the third day and granted that he should become visible, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen beforehand by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that this one is the one appointed[ac] by God as judge of the living and of the dead. 43 To this one all the prophets testify, that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”
The Holy Spirit Given to Gentiles
44 While[ad] Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message. 45 And those believers from the circumcision who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as we also did!” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days.
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