M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joseph Sets a Trap
44 Then Joseph gave a command to the servant in charge of his house. He said, “Fill the men’s sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man’s money into his sack with the grain. 2 Put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother, along with his money for the grain.” The servant did what Joseph told him.
3 At dawn the brothers were sent away with their donkeys. 4 They were not far from the city when Joseph said to the servant in charge of his house, “Go after the men. When you catch up with them, say, ‘Why have you paid back evil for good? 5 The cup you have stolen is the one my master uses for drinking and for explaining dreams. You have done a very wicked thing!’”
6 So the servant caught up with the brothers and said to them what Joseph had told him to say.
7 But the brothers said to the servant, “Why do you say these things? We would not do anything like that! 8 We brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money we found in our sacks. So surely we would not steal silver or gold from your master’s house. 9 If you find that silver cup in the sack of one of us, then let him die, and we will be your slaves.”
10 The servant said, “We will do as you say, but only the man who has taken the cup will become my slave. The rest of you may go free.”
11 Then every brother quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 The servant searched the sacks, going from the oldest brother to the youngest, and found the cup in Benjamin’s sack. 13 The brothers tore their clothes to show they were afraid. Then they put their sacks back on the donkeys and returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers went back to Joseph’s house, Joseph was still there, so the brothers bowed facedown on the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What have you done? Didn’t you know that a man like me can learn things by signs and dreams?”
16 Judah said, “Master, what can we say? And how can we show we are not guilty? God has uncovered our guilt, so all of us will be your slaves, not just Benjamin.”
17 But Joseph said, “I will not make you all slaves! Only the man who stole the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may go back safely to your father.”
18 Then Judah went to Joseph and said, “Master, please let me speak plainly to you, and please don’t be angry with me. I know that you are as powerful as the king of Egypt himself. 19 When we were here before, you asked us, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 And we answered you, ‘We have an old father. And we have a younger brother, who was born when our father was old. This youngest son’s brother is dead, so he is the only one of his mother’s children left alive, and our father loves him very much.’ 21 Then you said to us, ‘Bring that brother to me. I want to see him.’ 22 And we said to you, ‘That young boy cannot leave his father, because if he leaves him, his father would die.’ 23 But you said to us, ‘If you don’t bring your youngest brother, you will not be allowed to see me again.’ 24 So we went back to our father and told him what you had said.
25 “Later, our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little more food.’ 26 We said to our father, ‘We cannot go without our youngest brother. Without our youngest brother, we will not be allowed to see the governor.’ 27 Then my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife Rachel gave me two sons. 28 When one son left me, I thought, “Surely he has been torn apart by a wild animal,” and I haven’t seen him since. 29 Now you want to take this son away from me also. But something terrible might happen to him, and I would be miserable until the day I die.’ 30 Now what will happen if we go home to our father without our youngest brother? He is so important in our father’s life that 31 when our father sees the young boy is not with us, he will die. And it will be our fault. We will cause the great sorrow that kills our father.
32 “I gave my father a guarantee that the young boy would be safe. I said to my father, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, you can blame me all my life.’ 33 So now, please allow me to stay here and be your slave, and let the young boy go back home with his brothers. 34 I cannot go back to my father if the boy is not with me. I couldn’t stand to see my father that sad.”
The Plan to Kill Jesus
14 It was now only two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and teachers of the law were trying to find a trick to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2 But they said, “We must not do it during the feast, because the people might cause a riot.”
A Woman with Perfume for Jesus
3 Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, who had a skin disease. While Jesus was eating there, a woman approached him with an alabaster jar filled with very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She opened the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.
4 Some who were there became upset and said to each other, “Why waste that perfume? 5 It was worth a full year’s work. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor.” And they got very angry with the woman.
6 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you troubling her? She did an excellent thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you, and you can help them anytime you want. But you will not always have me. 8 This woman did the only thing she could do for me; she poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told, and people will remember her.”
Judas Becomes an Enemy of Jesus
10 One of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the leading priests to offer to hand Jesus over to them. 11 These priests were pleased about this and promised to pay Judas money. So he watched for the best time to turn Jesus in.
Jesus Eats the Passover Meal
12 It was now the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb was sacrificed. Jesus’ followers said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
13 Jesus sent two of his followers and said to them, “Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 When he goes into a house, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says: “Where is my guest room in which I can eat the Passover meal with my followers?”’ 15 The owner will show you a large room upstairs that is furnished and ready. Prepare the food for us there.”
16 So the followers left and went into the city. Everything happened as Jesus had said, so they prepared the Passover meal.
17 In the evening, Jesus went to that house with the twelve. 18 While they were all eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will turn against me—one of you eating with me now.”
19 The followers were very sad to hear this. Each one began to say to Jesus, “I am not the one, am I?”
20 Jesus answered, “It is one of the twelve—the one who dips his bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will die, just as the Scriptures say. But how terrible it will be for the person who hands the Son of Man over to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
The Lord’s Supper
22 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to his followers and said, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then Jesus took a cup and thanked God for it and gave it to the followers, and they all drank from the cup.
24 Then Jesus said, “This is my blood which is the new[a] agreement that God makes with his people. This blood is poured out for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine[b] again until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus’ Followers Will Leave Him
27 Then Jesus told the followers, “You will all stumble in your faith, because it is written in the Scriptures:
‘I will kill the shepherd,
and the sheep will scatter.’ Zechariah 13:7
28 But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
29 Peter said, “Everyone else may stumble in their faith, but I will not.”
30 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows twice you will say three times you don’t know me.”
31 But Peter insisted, “I will never say that I don’t know you! I will even die with you!” And all the other followers said the same thing.
Jesus Prays Alone
32 Jesus and his followers went to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be very sad and troubled. 34 He said to them, “My heart is full of sorrow, to the point of death. Stay here and watch.”
35 After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, he would not have this time of suffering. 36 He prayed, “Abba,[c] Father! You can do all things. Take away this cup[d] of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.”
37 Then Jesus went back to his followers and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak.”
39 Again Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. 40 Then he went back to his followers, and again he found them asleep, because their eyes were very heavy. And they did not know what to say to him.
41 After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his followers and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? That’s enough. The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinful people. 42 Get up, we must go. Look, here comes the man who has turned against me.”
Jesus Is Arrested
43 At once, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve apostles, came up. With him were many people carrying swords and clubs who had been sent from the leading priests, the teachers of the law, and the Jewish elders.
44 Judas had planned a signal for them, saying, “The man I kiss is Jesus. Arrest him and guard him while you lead him away.” 45 So Judas went straight to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” and kissed him. 46 Then the people grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 One of his followers standing nearby pulled out his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus said, “You came to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal. 49 Every day I was with you teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me there. But all these things have happened to make the Scriptures come true.” 50 Then all of Jesus’ followers left him and ran away.
51 A young man, wearing only a linen cloth, was following Jesus, and the people also grabbed him. 52 But the cloth he was wearing came off, and he ran away naked.
Jesus Before the Leaders
53 The people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest, where all the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of the law were gathered. 54 Peter followed far behind and entered the courtyard of the high priest’s house. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
55 The leading priests and the whole Jewish council tried to find something that Jesus had done wrong so they could kill him. But the council could find no proof of anything. 56 Many people came and told false things about him, but all said different things—none of them agreed.
57 Then some people stood up and lied about Jesus, saying, 58 “We heard this man say, ‘I will destroy this Temple that people made. And three days later, I will build another Temple not made by people.’” 59 But even the things these people said did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood before them and asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? Don’t you have something to say about their charges against you?” 61 But Jesus said nothing; he did not answer.
The high priest asked Jesus another question: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed God?”
62 Jesus answered, “I am. And in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky.”
63 When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes and said, “We don’t need any more witnesses! 64 You all heard him say these things against God. What do you think?”
They all said that Jesus was guilty and should die. 65 Some of the people there began to spit at Jesus. They blindfolded him and beat him with their fists and said, “Prove you are a prophet!” Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.
Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus
66 While Peter was in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came there. 67 She saw Peter warming himself at the fire and looked closely at him.
Then she said, “You also were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth.”
68 But Peter said that he was never with Jesus. He said, “I don’t know or understand what you are talking about.” Then Peter left and went toward the entrance of the courtyard. And the rooster crowed.[e]
69 The servant girl saw Peter there, and again she said to the people who were standing nearby, “This man is one of those who followed Jesus.” 70 Again Peter said that it was not true.
A short time later, some people were standing near Peter saying, “Surely you are one of those who followed Jesus, because you are from Galilee, too.”
71 Then Peter began to place a curse on himself and swear, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”
72 At once, the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter lost control of himself and began to cry.
10 “I hate my life,
so I will complain without holding back;
I will speak because I am so unhappy.
2 I will say to God: Do not hold me guilty,
but tell me what you have against me.
3 Does it make you happy to trouble me?
Don’t you care about me, the work of your hands?
Are you happy with the plans of evil people?
4 Do you have human eyes
that see as we see?
5 Are your days like the days of humans,
and your years like our years?
6 You look for the evil I have done
and search for my sin.
7 You know I am not guilty,
but no one can save me from your power.
8 “Your hands shaped and made me.
Do you now turn around and destroy me?
9 Remember that you molded me like a piece of clay.
Will you now turn me back into dust?
10 You formed me inside my mother
like cheese formed from milk.
11 You dressed me with skin and flesh;
you sewed me together with bones and muscles.
12 You gave me life and showed me kindness,
and in your care you watched over my life.
13 “But in your heart you hid other plans.
I know this was in your mind.
14 If I sinned, you would watch me
and would not let my sin go unpunished.
15 How terrible it will be for me if I am guilty!
Even if I am right, I cannot lift my head.
I am full of shame
and experience only pain.
16 If I hold up my head, you hunt me like a lion
and again show your terrible power against me.
17 You bring new witnesses against me
and increase your anger against me.
Your armies come against me.
18 “So why did you allow me to be born?
I wish I had died before anyone saw me.
19 I wish I had never lived,
but had been carried straight from birth to the grave.
20 The few days of my life are almost over.
Leave me alone so I can have a moment of joy.
21 Soon I will leave; I will not return
from the land of darkness and gloom,
22 the land of darkest night,
from the land of gloom and confusion,
where even the light is darkness.”
Do Not Criticize Other People
14 Accept into your group someone who is weak in faith, and do not argue about opinions. 2 One person believes it is right to eat all kinds of food.[a] But another, who is weak, believes it is right to eat only vegetables. 3 The one who knows that it is right to eat any kind of food must not reject the one who eats only vegetables. And the person who eats only vegetables must not think that the one who eats all foods is wrong, because God has accepted that person. 4 You cannot judge another person’s servant. The master decides if the servant is doing well or not. And the Lord’s servant will do well because the Lord helps him do well.
5 Some think that one day is more important than another, and others think that every day is the same. Let all be sure in their own mind. 6 Those who think one day is more important than other days are doing that for the Lord. And those who eat all kinds of food are doing that for the Lord, and they give thanks to God. Others who refuse to eat some foods do that for the Lord, and they give thanks to God. 7 We do not live or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, we are living for the Lord, and if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord.
9 The reason Christ died and rose from the dead to live again was so he would be Lord over both the dead and the living. 10 So why do you judge your brothers or sisters in Christ? And why do you think you are better than they are? We will all stand before God to be judged, 11 because it is written in the Scriptures:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘Everyone will bow before me;
everyone will say that I am God.’” Isaiah 45:23
12 So each of us will have to answer to God.
Do Not Cause Others to Sin
13 For that reason we should stop judging each other. We must make up our minds not to do anything that will make another Christian sin. 14 I am in the Lord Jesus, and I know that there is no food that is wrong to eat. But if a person believes something is wrong, that thing is wrong for him. 15 If you hurt your brother’s or sister’s faith because of something you eat, you are not really following the way of love. Do not destroy someone’s faith by eating food he thinks is wrong, because Christ died for him. 16 Do not allow what you think is good to become what others say is evil. 17 In the kingdom of God, eating and drinking are not important. The important things are living right with God, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Anyone who serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God and will be accepted by other people.
19 So let us try to do what makes peace and helps one another. 20 Do not let the eating of food destroy the work of God. All foods are all right to eat, but it is wrong to eat food that causes someone else to sin. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that will cause your brother or sister to sin.
22 Your beliefs about these things should be kept secret between you and God. People are happy if they can do what they think is right without feeling guilty. 23 But those who eat something without being sure it is right are wrong because they did not believe it was right. Anything that is done without believing it is right is a sin.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.