M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Isaac and Rebekah
24 Now Abraham was old, advanced in age,[a] and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in everything. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh 3 that I may make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose midst I am dwelling, 4 but that you will go to my land and to my family, and take a wife for my son, for Isaac.” 5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow[b] me to this land—must I then return your son to the land from whence you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “You must take care[c] that you do not return my son there. 7 Yahweh, the God of heaven who took me from the house of my father and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘to your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 And if the woman is not willing to follow[d] you, then you shall be released from this oath of mine—only you must not return my son there.” 9 Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and he swore to him concerning this matter. 10 And the servant took ten camels from his master’s camels, and he went with all kinds of his master’s good things in his hand. And he arose and went to Aram-Naharaim, to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel outside the city at the well of water, at the time of evening, toward the time the women went out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show loyal love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are going out to draw water. 14 And let it be that the girl to whom I shall say, ‘Please, offer your jar that I may drink’ and who says, ‘Drink—and I will also water your camels,’ she is the one you have chosen for your servant, for Isaac. By her I will know that you have shown loyal love to my master.” 15 And it happened that before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah—who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham—came out, and her jar was on her shoulder. 16 Now the girl was very pleasing in appearance. She was a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her. And he said, “Please, let me drink a little of the water from your jar.” 18 And she said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly lowered her jar in her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When[e] she finished giving him a drink she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they finish drinking.” 20 And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water. And she drew water for all his camels. 21 And the man was gazing at her silently to know if Yahweh had made his journey successful or not. 22 And it happened that as the camels finished drinking the man took a gold ring of a half shekel in weight and two bracelets for her arms, ten shekels in weight, 23 and said, “Please tell me, whose daughter are you? Is there a place at the house of your father for us to spend the night?” 24 And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 Then she said to him, “We have both straw and fodder in abundance, as well as a place to spend the night.” 26 And the man knelt down and worshiped Yahweh. 27 And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld[f] his loyal love and his faithfulness from my master. I was on the way and Yahweh led me to the house of my master’s brother.” 28 Then the girl ran and reported these things to the household of her mother.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. And Laban ran out to the man toward the spring. 30 And when he saw the ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, who said, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing with the camels at the spring. 31 And he said, “Come, O blessed one of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? Now I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 And the man came to the house and unloaded the camels. And he gave straw and fodder to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 And food was placed before him[g] to eat. And he said, “I will not eat until I have told my errand.”[h] And he said, “Speak.” 34 And he said, “I am the servant of Abraham. 35 Now Yahweh has blessed my master exceedingly, and he has become great. He has given to him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male slaves and female slaves, and camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah, the wife of my master, has borne a son to my master after her old age. And he[i] has given to him all that he has. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, ‘Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I am living. 38 But you shall go to the house of my father, and to my family, and you shall take a wife for my son.’ 39 And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow[j] me.’ 40 And he said to me, ‘Yahweh, before whom I have walked, shall send his angel with you and will make your journey successful. And you shall take a wife for my son from my family, and from the house of my father. 41 Then you shall be released from my oath, when you come to my family. And if they will not give a woman to you, then you will be released from my oath.’ 42 Then today I came to the spring, and I said, ‘O Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, if you would please make my journey successful,[k] upon which I am going. 43 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water and to whom I say, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar,” 44 let her say to me, “Drink; I will also draw water for your camels,” she is the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for the son of my master.’ 45 I had not yet finished speaking to myself[l] when, behold, Rebekah was coming out with[m] her jar on her shoulder. And she went down to the spring and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 And she hastened and let down her jar from her shoulder[n] and said, ‘Drink, and I will give a drink to your camels also.’ Then I drank and she gave a drink to the camels also. 47 Then I asked her and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ And I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 And I knelt down and worshiped Yahweh, and I praised Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right way, to take the daughter of the brother of my master for his son. 49 So now, if you are going to deal loyally and truly[o] with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, so that I may turn to the right or to the left.”[p] 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and they said, “The matter has gone out from Yahweh; we are not able to speak bad or good to you. 51 Here is Rebekah before you. Take her and go; let her be a wife for the son of your master as Yahweh has spoken.” 52 And it happened that when the servant of Abraham heard their words he bowed down to the ground to Yahweh. 53 And the servant brought out silver jewelry and gold jewelry, and garments, and he gave them to Rebekah. And he gave precious gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night. And they got up in the morning, and he said, “Let me go to my master.” 55 And her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; after that she may go.” 56 And he said to them, “Do not delay me. Now, Yahweh has made my journey successful. Let me go. I must go to my master.” 57 And they said, “Let us call the girl and ask her opinion.”[q] 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “You are our sister; may you become countless thousands; and may your offspring take possession of the gate of his enemies.” 61 And Rebekah and her maidservants arose, and they mounted the camels and followed[r] the man. And the servant took Rebekah and left.
62 Now Isaac was coming from the direction of Beer-Lahai-Roi. And he was living in the land of the Negev. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field early in the evening,[s] and he lifted up his eyes and saw—behold, camels were coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac. And she got down from the camel. 65 And she said to the servant, “Who is this man walking around in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “That is my master.” And she took her[t] veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 And Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother. And he took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after the death of his mother.
Seven Woes Pronounced on the Scribes and Pharisees
23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but do not do as they do,[a] for they tell others to do something[b] and do not do it themselves.[c] 4 And they tie up heavy burdens[d] and put them[e] on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move them. 5 And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their[f] tassels long. 6 And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because one is your teacher, and you are all brothers, 9 And do not call anyone[g] your father on earth, for one is your heavenly Father. 10 And do not be called teachers, because one is your teacher, the Christ. 11 And the greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you shut the kingdom of heaven before people! For you do not enter, nor permit those wanting to go in[h] to enter.[i]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you travel around the sea and the dry land to make one convert, and when he becomes one,[j] you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are!
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’[k] 17 Fools and blind people! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’[l] 19 Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 Therefore the one who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that is on it. 21 And the one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and neglect the more important matters of the law—justice and mercy and faithfulness! It was necessary[m] to do these things while not neglecting those.[n] 24 Blind guides who filter out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish,[o] so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean! 28 In the same way, on the outside you also appear righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets!’ 31 Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets! 32 And you—fill up the measure of your fathers! 33 Serpents! Offspring of vipers! How will you escape from the condemnation to hell? 34 For this reason, behold, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and will pursue from town to town, 35 so that upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel up to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation!
The Lament over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together the way[p] a hen gathers her young together under her[q] wings, and you were not willing! 38 Behold, your house has been left to you desolate! 39 For I tell you, you will never see me from now on until you say,
‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[r]
Israel Separates Itself
13 On that day the book of Moses was read in the hearing of the people and it was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God 2 because they did not come to meet the Israelites[a] with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them in order to curse them—but our God changed the curse into a blessing. 3 So it happened when they heard the law[b] that they separated all of the foreign people from Israel.
Nehemiah Brings Reform
4 Before this, Eliashib the priest who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God—the one related to Tobiah— 5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had formerly put the grain offering, the frankincense, the temple objects, tithes of grain, wine, and oil commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the offerings of the priests. 6 During all of this, I was not in Jerusalem because in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. At the end of some days I asked permission from the king to leave. 7 So I came to Jerusalem. And I came to learn of the wrong that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by making him a room in the courtyard of the house of God. 8 It was very displeasing for me, and I threw all of the objects from the house of Tobiah outside of the chamber. 9 And I spoke in order, and they cleansed the chambers. Then I returned the objects of the house of God—the grain offering and the frankincense.
10 And then I came to learn that the food of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, the doers of the work, had gone back each to his field. 11 So I quarreled with the prefects, and I said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them and set them at their station. 12 So all of Judah brought the tithe of grain, new wine, and olive oil into the storehouses. 13 I appointed as treasurer over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah from the Levites, and as their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful. The responsibility given to them was to distribute to their brothers. 14 Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my loyal acts which I have done in the house of my God and in his service.
Nehemiah Begins Sabbath Reforms
15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading the wine press on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys along with wine, grapes and figs, and every kind of burden and bringing it all to Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath. And I warned them at that time against selling food. 16 Tyrian men who lived in Jerusalem brought fish and every kind of merchandise and sold it on the Sabbath to the descendants[c] of Judah and in Jerusalem. 17 So I quarreled with the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the day of the Sabbath? 18 Did not your ancestors[d] do this also, and our God brought on us all of this disaster and on this city too? Now you are adding fierce wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19 So when it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors be shut and said that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I appointed some of my young men over the gates to prevent any goods[e] being brought in on the day of the Sabbath. 20 So the merchants and the sellers of merchandise spent the night outside of Jerusalem once or twice. 21 But I warned them and said to them, “Why are you spending the night opposite the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands against you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 And then I told two Levites that they must purify themselves and come to guard the gates in order to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Remember this also, my God, and take pity on me according to the greatness of your loyal love.
Mixed Marriages are Condemned
23 Also in those days I saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke Ashdodite and could not speak Judean, but only the tongues of other nations. 25 So I quarreled with them and cursed them and beat some of their men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath by God: “Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in this way? And among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Yet the foreign women made even him sin. 27 Should we listen to you all and do this great evil, acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
28 One from the sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib, who was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonote was there. I chased him away from me. 29 Remember them, my God, because of their defilements of the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 So I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established responsibilities for the priests and Levites, each in his own work, 31 a contribution of the wood offering at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, my God, for good.
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
23 And looking intently at the Sanhedrin, Paul said, “Men and brothers, I have lived my life in all good conscience before God to this day.” 2 So the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike his mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! And are you sitting there judging me according to the law, and acting contrary to the law do you order me to be struck?” 4 And those who stood nearby said, “Are you reviling the high priest of God?” 5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”[a]
6 Now when[b] Paul realized that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he shouted out in the Sanhedrin, “Men and brothers! I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being judged concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead!” 7 And when[c] he said this, a dispute developed between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 (For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) 9 And there was loud shouting, and some of the scribes from the party of the Pharisees stood up and[d] contended sharply, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man! But what if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 And when[e] the dispute became severe, the military tribune, fearing lest Paul be torn apart by them, ordered the detachment to go down, take him away from their midst, and bring him[f] into the barracks.[g] 11 And the next night the Lord stood by him and[h] said, “Have courage, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”
A Conspiracy to Kill Paul
12 And when it[i] was day, the Jews made a conspiracy and[j] bound themselves under a curse, saying they would[k] neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 Now there were more than forty who had made this conspiracy, 14 who went to the chief priests and the elders and[l] said, “We have bound ourselves under a curse to partake of nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Therefore, now you along with the Sanhedrin explain to the military tribune that he should bring him down to you, as if you were going to determine more accurately the things concerning him. And we are ready to do away with him before he comes near.”
16 But when[m] the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, he came and entered into the barracks[n] and[o] reported it[p] to Paul. 17 So Paul called one of the centurions and[q] said, “Bring this young man to the military tribune, because he has something to report to him.” 18 So he took him and[r] brought him[s] to the military tribune and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and[t] asked me[u] to bring this young man to you because he[v] has something to tell you.” 19 And the military tribune, taking hold of his hand and withdrawing privately, asked, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20 And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you that you bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. 21 You therefore do not be persuaded by them, because more than forty men of their number[w] are lying in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have done away with him. And now they are ready, waiting for you to agree.”[x] 22 So the military tribune sent the young man away, directing him,[y] “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”
23 And he summoned two of the centurions and[z] said, “Make ready from the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen,[aa] in order that they may proceed as far as Caesarea. 24 And provide mounts so that they can put Paul on them and[ab] bring him[ac] safely to Felix the governor.” 25 He wrote[ad] a letter that had this form:[ae]
26 Claudius Lysias.
To his excellency Governor Felix.
Greetings!
27 This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I[af] came upon them[ag] with the detachment and[ah] rescued him,[ai] because I[aj] learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And because I[ak] wanted to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him[al] down to their Sanhedrin.[am] 29 I found he[an] was accused concerning controversial questions of their law, but having no charge deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when it[ao] was made known to me there would be a plot against the man, I sent him[ap] to you immediately, also ordering his[aq] accusers to speak against him[ar] before you.
31 Therefore the soldiers, in accordance with their orders,[as] took Paul and[at] brought him[au] to Antipatris during the night. 32 And on the next day they let the horsemen go on with him, and[av] they returned to the barracks.[aw] 33 The horsemen,[ax] when they[ay] came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, also presented Paul to him. 34 So after[az] reading the letter[ba] and asking what province he was from, and learning that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing whenever your accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be guarded in the praetorium[bb] of Herod.
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