M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Moses and Aaron Talk to Pharaoh

5 After this, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says this: ‘Let My people go, that they may have a special supper to honor Me in the desert.’” ² But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord. And I will not let Israel go.” ³ Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. We ask of you, let us travel into the desert three days, to give a gift on an altar in worship to the Lord our God. Or He may send death to us by disease or by the sword.” ⁴ But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Return to your work!” ⁵ Then Pharaoh said, “See, the people of the land are now many. And you would have them stop working!”

⁶ That same day Pharaoh told the men who made the people work, ⁷ “Do not give the people straw for making clay blocks any more. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸ But have them make the same number of clay blocks as before, and no less. They are crying, ‘Let us go and give a gift in worship to our God,’ because they are lazy. ⁹ Let more work be given to the men so they will not have time to listen to lies.”

¹⁰ So the men who made the people work went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw. ¹¹ You go and get straw for yourselves where you can find it. But you will not work any less than before.’” ¹² So the people went out through all the land of Egypt to gather what they could use for straw. ¹³ The men who made them work made them hurry, saying, “Finish your full day’s work as you did when there was straw.” ¹⁴ And the Hebrew men who had been made to rule over the people by Pharaoh’s work-leaders were beaten. They were asked, “Why have you not made as many clay blocks yesterday or today as you made before?”

¹⁵ Then the Hebrew men who made the people work went to Pharaoh and cried, “Why do you act this way toward your servants? ¹⁶ There is no straw given to your servants. Yet they still say to us, ‘Make clay blocks!’ See, your servants are being beaten. But your own people are to blame.” ¹⁷ But Pharaoh said, “You are lazy, very lazy. So you say, ‘Let us go and give a gift on an altar in worship to the Lord.’ ¹⁸ Go now and work. You will be given no straw. Yet you must make the same number of clay blocks.” ¹⁹ The Hebrew men who made the people work knew that they were in trouble because they were told, “You must make the same number of clay blocks each day.” ²⁰ When they came from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them. ²¹ They said to Moses and Aaron, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you. For you have caused us to be hated by Pharaoh and his servants. You have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

God’s Promise to Israel

²² Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have You hurt these people? Why did you ever send me? ²³ For since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has hurt these people. You have not set Your people free at all.”

Jesus Teaches in Galilee

8 After this Jesus went to all the cities and towns preaching and telling the Good News about the holy nation of God. The twelve followers were with Him. ² Some women who had been healed of demons and diseases were with Him. Mary Magdalene, who had had seven demons put out of her, was one of them. ³ Joanna, the wife of Chuza who was one of Herod’s helpers, was another one. Susanna and many others also cared for Jesus by using what they had.

The Picture-Story of the Man Who Planted Seed ^(A)

⁴ Many people came together from every town to Jesus. He told them a picture-story.

⁵ “A man went out to plant seed. As he planted the seed, some fell by the side of the road. It was walked on and birds came and ate it. ⁶ Some seed fell between rocks. As soon as it started to grow, it dried up because it had no water. ⁷ Some seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew and did not give the seed room to grow. ⁸ Some seed fell on good ground. It grew and gave one hundred times as much grain.” When Jesus had finished saying this, He cried out, “You have ears, then listen!”

⁹ His followers asked Him what this picture-story meant. ¹⁰ Jesus said, “You were given the secrets about the holy nation of God. Others are told picture-stories. As they look, they do not see. As they hear, they do not understand.

Jesus Tells about the Man Who Planted Seed

¹¹ “This is what the picture-story means. The seed is the Word of God. ¹² Those by the side of the road hear the Word. Then the devil comes and takes the Word from their hearts. He does not want them to believe and be saved from the punishment of sin. ¹³ Those which fell among rocks are those who when they hear the Word receive it with joy. These have no root. For awhile they believe, but when they are tempted they give up. ¹⁴ Those which fell among thorns hear the Word but go their own way. The cares of this life let the thorns grow. A love for money lets the thorns grow also. And the fun of this life lets the thorns grow. Their grain never becomes full-grown. ¹⁵ But those which fell on good ground have heard the Word. They keep it in a good and true heart and they keep on giving good grain.

The Picture-Story of the Lamp

¹⁶ “No man lights a lamp and puts it under a pail or under a bed. He puts it on a lamp-stand so all who come into the room may see it. ¹⁷ Nothing is secret but what will be known. Anything that is hidden will be brought into the light. ¹⁸ Be careful how you listen! Whoever has, to him will be given. Whoever does not have, even the little he has will be taken from him.”

The New Kind of Family ^(B)

¹⁹ The mother of Jesus and His brothers came to Him. They could not get near Him because of so many people. ²⁰ Someone said to Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to see You.” ²¹ Jesus said to them, “My mother and brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it.”

The Wind and Waves Obey Jesus ^(C)

²² On one of those days Jesus and His followers got into a boat. Jesus said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” Then they pushed out into the water. ²³ As they were going, Jesus fell asleep. A wind storm came over the lake. The boat was filling with water and they were in danger. ²⁴ The followers came to awake Jesus. They said, “Teacher! Teacher! We are going to die!” Then Jesus got up and spoke sharp words to the wind and the high waves. The wind stopped blowing and there were no more waves. ²⁵ He said to them, “Where is your faith?” The followers were surprised and afraid. They said to each other, “What kind of a man is He? He speaks to the wind and the waves and they obey Him.”

Demons Ask Jesus to Let Them Live in Pigs ^(D)

²⁶ They came to the land of the Gadarenes, which is on the other side of the country of Galilee. ²⁷ As Jesus stepped out on land, a man met Him who had come from the city. This man had demons in him. For a long time he had worn no clothes. He did not live in a house, but lived among the graves. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he got down before Him and cried with a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High? I beg of You not to hurt me!” ²⁹ For Jesus had spoken to the demon to come out of the man. Many times the demon had taken hold of him. The man had to be tied with chains. But he would break the chains and be taken by the demon into the desert.

³⁰ Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And the demon answered, “Many,” because many demons had gone into him. ³¹ The demons asked Jesus not to send them to the hole without a bottom in the earth. ³² There were many pigs feeding on the side of the mountain. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. Jesus said they could. ³³ The demons came out of the man and went into the pigs. Then the many pigs ran down the side of the mountain into the water and died.

³⁴ The men who cared for the pigs ran fast and told what had happened in the town and in the country. ³⁵ People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the man from whom the demons had been sent. He was sitting at the feet of Jesus with clothes on and had the right use of his mind. The people were afraid. ³⁶ Those who had seen it told how the man who had had the demons was healed. ³⁷ Then all the people of the country of the Gadarenes begged Jesus to go away from them. They were very much afraid. Jesus got into the boat and went back to the other side.

³⁸ The man out of whom the demons had gone begged to go with Jesus. But Jesus sent him away and said, ³⁹ “Go back to your house and tell everything God has done for you.” He went back and told all the people of the city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Two Were Healed through Faith ^(E)

⁴⁰ Many people were glad to see Jesus when He got back. They were waiting for Him. ⁴¹ A man named Jairus was a leader of the Jewish place of worship. As he came to Jesus, he got down at His feet. He asked Jesus if He would come to his house. ⁴² He had only one daughter and she was dying. This girl was about twelve years old. As Jesus went, the people pushed Him from every side.

⁴³ A woman had been sick for twelve years with a flow of blood. (*She had spent all the money she had on doctors.) But she could not be healed by anyone. ⁴⁴ She came behind Jesus and touched the bottom of His coat. At once the flow of blood stopped. ⁴⁵ Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” Everyone said that they had not touched Him. Peter said, “Teacher, so many people are pushing You from every side and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” ⁴⁶ Then Jesus said, “Someone touched Me because I know power has gone from Me.” ⁴⁷ When the woman saw she could not hide it, she came shaking. She got down before Jesus. Then she told Jesus in front of all the people why she had touched Him. She told how she was healed at once. ⁴⁸ Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

⁴⁹ While Jesus was yet talking, a man came from the house of the leader of the place of worship. This man said to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Do not make the Teacher use anymore of His time.” ⁵⁰ Jesus heard it and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid, only believe. She will be made well.”

⁵¹ Jesus went into the house. He let only Peter and James and John and the father and mother of the girl go in with Him. ⁵² Everyone was crying and full of sorrow because of her. Jesus said, “Do not cry. She is not dead, but is sleeping.” ⁵³ Then they laughed at Jesus because they knew she was dead. ⁵⁴ Jesus sent them all out. He took the girl by the hand and said, “Child, get up!” ⁵⁵ Her spirit came back and she got up at once. Jesus told them to bring her food. ⁵⁶ Her parents were surprised and wondered about it. Then Jesus told them they should tell no one what had happened.

Eliphaz Talks

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, ² “Can a man be of use to God? Can a wise man be of use to himself? ³ Is the All-powerful pleased if you are right and good? Is it of any use to Him if your ways were perfect? ⁴ Is it because of how you honor God that He speaks strong words to you and punishes you? ⁵ Have you not done much wrong and your sins have no end? ⁶ For you have taken things from your brothers when they did not owe you anything. You have taken all their clothing and they have had nothing to wear. ⁷ To those who were tired, you have given no water to drink. And you have kept bread from the hungry. ⁸ But you were a powerful and respected man owning land and living on it. ⁹ You have sent women away with nothing, whose husbands have died. And you have crushed the strength of children who have no parents. ¹⁰ So traps are all around you, and much fear comes upon you all at once. ¹¹ This is why it is dark and you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

¹² “Is not God high up in heaven? See the highest stars, how high they are! ¹³ So you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the darkness? ¹⁴ Clouds cover Him so that He cannot see. He walks on the roof of heaven.’ ¹⁵ Will you keep to the old way which sinful men have walked? ¹⁶ They were taken away before their time. The ground they stood on was washed away by a river. ¹⁷ They said to God, ‘Leave us!’ and ‘What can the All-powerful do to us?’ ¹⁸ Yet He filled their houses with good things. But the wisdom of the sinful is far from me. ¹⁹ Those who are right and good see it and are glad. Those who are without guilt make fun of them, ²⁰ saying, ‘For sure those who hate us are destroyed, and fire has destroyed what they owned.’

²¹ “Agree with God, and be at peace with Him. Then good will come to you. ²² Receive the teaching from His mouth, and keep His words in your heart. ²³ If you return to the All-powerful, things will be well with you again. Put sin far from your tent. ²⁴ Put your gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the river. ²⁵ Then the All-powerful will be your gold and silver of much worth. ²⁶ Then you will have joy in the All-powerful, and lift up your face to God. ²⁷ You will pray to Him, and He will hear you. And you will keep your promises to Him. ²⁸ You will decide something, and it will be done for you. Light will shine on your path. ²⁹ For God puts down the man who is filled with pride. But He saves the one who is not proud. ³⁰ He will save the man who is even guilty because he will be helped by your hands that are clean.”

A Missionary’s Rights

9 Am I not a missionary? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not Christians because of the work I have done for the Lord? ² Other people may not think of me as a missionary, but you do. It proves I am a missionary because you are Christians now. ³ When people ask questions about me, I say this: ⁴ Do we not have the right to have food and drink when we are working for the Lord? ⁵ Do we not have the right to take a Christian wife along with us? The other missionaries do. The Lord’s brothers do and Peter does. ⁶ Are Barnabas and I the only ones who should keep working for a living so we can preach?

⁷ Have you ever heard of a soldier who goes to war and pays for what he needs himself? Have you ever heard of a man planting a field of grapes and not eating some of the fruit? Have you ever heard of a farmer who feeds cattle and does not drink some of the milk? ⁸ These things are not just what men think are right to do. God’s Law speaks about this. ⁹ God gave Moses the Law. It says, “When the cow is made to walk on the grain to break it open, do not stop it from eating some.” ^(A) Does God care about the cow? ¹⁰ Did not God speak about this because of us. For sure, this was written for us. The man who gets the fields ready and the man who gathers in the grain should expect some of the grain. ¹¹ We have planted God’s Word among you. Is it too much to expect you to give us what we need to live each day? ¹² If other people have the right to expect this from you, do we not have more right? But we have not asked this of you. We have suffered many things. We did this so the Good News of Christ would not be held back.

¹³ You must know that those who work in the house of God get their food there. Those who work at the altar in the house of God get a part of the food that is given there. ¹⁴ The Lord has said also that those who preach the Good News should get their living from those who hear it.

¹⁵ I have not used any of these things. I am not writing now to get anything. I would rather die than lose the joy of preaching to you without you paying me. ¹⁶ I cannot be proud because I preach the Good News. I have been told to do it. It would be bad for me if I do not preach the Good News. ¹⁷ If I do this because I want to, I will get my reward. If I do not want to do it, I am still expected to do it. ¹⁸ Then what is my reward? It is when I preach the Good News without you paying me. I do not ask you to pay me as I could.

Learning to Get Along

¹⁹ No man has any hold on me, but I have made myself a workman owned by all. I do this so I might lead more people to Christ. ²⁰ I became as a Jew to the Jews so I might lead them to Christ. There are some who live by obeying the Jewish Law. I became as one who lives by obeying the Jewish Law so I might lead them to Christ. ²¹ There are some who live by not obeying the Jewish law. I became as one who lives by not obeying the Jewish law so I might lead them to Christ. This does not mean that I do not obey God’s Law. I obey the teachings of Christ. ²² Some are weak. I have become weak so I might lead them to Christ. I have become like every person so in every way I might lead some to Christ. ²³ Everything I do, I do to get the Good News to men. I want to have a part in this work.

Live a Life That Pleases Christ

²⁴ You know that only one person gets a crown for being in a race even if many people run. You must run so you will win the crown. ²⁵ Everyone who runs in a race does many things so his body will be strong. He does it to get a crown that will soon be worth nothing, but we work for a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ In the same way, I run straight for the place at the end of the race. I fight to win. I do not beat the air. ²⁷ I keep working over my body. I make it obey me. I do this because I am afraid that after I have preached the Good News to others, I myself might be put aside.