M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Israel Camps at Sinai
19 Exactly three months after the Israelites had left Egypt, they reached the Desert of Sinai. 2 When they left Rephidim, they came to the Desert of Sinai and camped in the desert in front of the mountain. 3 Then Moses went up on the mountain to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “Say this to the family of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘Every one of you has seen what I did to the people of Egypt. You saw how I carried you out of Egypt, as if on eagle’s wings. And I brought you here to me. 5 So now if you obey me and keep my agreement, you will be my own possession, chosen from all nations. Even though the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be my kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ You must tell the Israelites these words.”
7 So Moses went down and called the elders of the people together. He told them all the words the Lord had commanded him to say. 8 All the people answered together, “We will do everything he has said.” Then Moses took their answer back to the Lord.
9 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud and speak to you. The people will hear me speaking with you and will always trust you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and have them spend today and tomorrow preparing themselves. They must wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the day after tomorrow. On that day I, the Lord, will come down on Mount Sinai, and all the people will see me. 12 But you must set a limit around the mountain that the people are not to cross. Tell them not to go up on the mountain and not to touch the foot of it. Anyone who touches the mountain must be put to death 13 with stones or shot with arrows. No one is allowed to touch him. Whether it is a person or an animal, he will not live. But the trumpet will make a long blast, and only then may the people go up on the mountain.”
14 After Moses went down from the mountain to the people, he made them prepare themselves for service to God, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then Moses said to the people, “Be ready in three days. Do not have sexual relations during this time.”
16 On the morning of the third day, there was thunder and lightning with a thick cloud on the mountain. There was a very loud blast from a trumpet, and all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord came down on it in fire. The smoke rose from the mountain like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain shook wildly. 19 The sound from the trumpet became louder. Then Moses spoke, and the voice of God answered him.
20 When the Lord came down on top of Mount Sinai, he called Moses to come up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people that they must not force their way through to see me. If they do, many of them will die. 22 Even the priests, who may come near me, must first prepare themselves. If they don’t, I, the Lord, will punish them.”
23 Moses told the Lord, “The people cannot come up on Mount Sinai, because you yourself told us, ‘Set a limit around the mountain, and set it apart as holy.’”
24 The Lord said to him, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you, but don’t allow the priests or the people to force their way through. They must not come up to the Lord, or I will punish them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them these things.
Judas Becomes an Enemy of Jesus
22 It was almost time for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover Feast. 2 The leading priests and teachers of the law were trying to find a way to kill Jesus, because they were afraid of the people.
3 Satan entered Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. 4 Judas went to the leading priests and some of the soldiers who guarded the Temple and talked to them about a way to hand Jesus over to them. 5 They were pleased and agreed to give Judas money. 6 He agreed and watched for the best time to hand Jesus over to them when he was away from the crowd.
Jesus Eats the Passover Meal
7 The Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lambs had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus said to Peter and John, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us to eat.”
9 They asked, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” 10 Jesus said to them, “After you go into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, 11 and tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says: “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover meal with my followers?”’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Prepare the Passover meal there.”
13 So Peter and John left and found everything as Jesus had said. And they prepared the Passover meal.
The Lord’s Supper
14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles were sitting at the table. 15 He said to them, “I wanted very much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer. 16 I will not eat another Passover meal until it is given its true meaning in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this cup and share it among yourselves. 18 I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine[a] until God’s kingdom comes.”
19 Then Jesus took some bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to the apostles, saying, “This is my body,[b] which I am giving for you. Do this to remember me.” 20 In the same way, after supper, Jesus took the cup and said, “This cup is the new agreement that God makes with his people. This new agreement begins with my blood which is poured out for you.
Who Will Turn Against Jesus?
21 “But one of you will turn against me, and his hand is with mine on the table. 22 What God has planned for the Son of Man will happen, but how terrible it will be for that one who turns against the Son of Man.”
23 Then the apostles asked each other which one of them would do that.
Be Like a Servant
24 The apostles also began to argue about which one of them was the most important. 25 But Jesus said to them, “The kings of the non-Jewish people rule over them, and those who have authority over others like to be called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But you must not be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the leader should be like the servant. 27 Who is more important: the one sitting at the table or the one serving? You think the one at the table is more important, but I am like a servant among you.
28 “You have stayed with me through my struggles. 29 Just as my Father has given me a kingdom, I also give you a kingdom 30 so you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Don’t Lose Your Faith!
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to test all of you as a farmer sifts his wheat. 32 I have prayed that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me.”
33 But Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and even to die with you!”
34 But Jesus said, “Peter, before the rooster crows this day, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”
Be Ready for Trouble
35 Then Jesus said to the apostles, “When I sent you out without a purse, a bag, or sandals, did you need anything?”
They said, “No.”
36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse or a bag, carry that with you. If you don’t have a sword, sell your coat and buy one. 37 The Scripture says, ‘He was treated like a criminal,’[c] and I tell you this scripture must have its full meaning. It was written about me, and it is happening now.”
38 His followers said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.”
He said to them, “That is enough.”
Jesus Prays Alone
39 Jesus left the city and went to the Mount of Olives, as he often did, and his followers went with him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray for strength against temptation.”
41 Then Jesus went about a stone’s throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup[d] of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him to strengthen him. 44 Being full of pain, Jesus prayed even harder. His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he finished praying, he went to his followers and found them asleep because of their sadness. 46 Jesus said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray for strength against temptation.”
Jesus Is Arrested
47 While Jesus was speaking, a crowd came up, and Judas, one of the twelve apostles, was leading them. He came close to Jesus so he could kiss him.
48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you using the kiss to give the Son of Man to his enemies?”
49 When those who were standing around him saw what was happening, they said, “Lord, should we strike them with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51 Jesus said, “Stop! No more of this.” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
52 Those who came to arrest Jesus were the leading priests, the soldiers who guarded the Temple, and the elders. Jesus said to them, “You came out here with swords and clubs as though I were a criminal. 53 I was with you every day in the Temple, and you didn’t arrest me there. But this is your time—the time when darkness rules.”
Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus
54 They arrested Jesus, and led him away, and brought him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed far behind them. 55 After the soldiers started a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat together, Peter sat with them. 56 A servant girl saw Peter sitting there in the firelight, and looking closely at him, she said, “This man was also with him.”
57 But Peter said this was not true; he said, “Woman, I don’t know him.”
58 A short time later, another person saw Peter and said, “You are also one of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with him, because he is from Galilee, too.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!”
At once, while Peter was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. And Peter remembered what the Lord had said: “Before the rooster crows this day, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” 62 Then Peter went outside and cried painfully.
The People Make Fun of Jesus
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began making fun of him and beating him.
64 They blindfolded him and said, “Prove that you are a prophet, and tell us who hit you.” 65 They said many cruel things to Jesus.
Jesus Before the Leaders
66 When day came, the council of the elders of the people, both the leading priests and the teachers of the law, came together and led Jesus to their highest court. 67 They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.”
Jesus said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe me. 68 And if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will sit at the right hand of the powerful God.”
70 They all said, “Then are you the Son of God?”
Jesus said to them, “You say that I am.”
71 They said, “Why do we need witnesses now? We ourselves heard him say this.”
37 “At the sound of his thunder, my heart pounds
as if it will jump out of my chest.
2 Listen! Listen to the thunder of God’s voice
and to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He turns his lightning loose under the whole sky
and sends it to the farthest parts of the earth.
4 After that you can hear the roar
when he thunders with a great sound.
He does not hold back the flashing
when his voice is heard.
5 God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways;
he does great things we cannot understand.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the shower, ‘Be a heavy rain.’
7 With it, he stops everyone from working
so everyone knows it is the work of God.
8 The animals take cover from the rain
and stay in their dens.
9 The storm comes from where it was stored;
the cold comes with the strong winds.
10 The breath of God makes ice,
and the wide waters become frozen.
11 He fills the clouds with water
and scatters his lightning through them.
12 At his command they swirl around
over the whole earth,
doing whatever he commands.
13 He uses the clouds to punish people
or to water his earth and show his love.
14 “Job, listen to this:
Stop and notice God’s miracles.
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds hang in the sky?
Do you know the miracles of God, who knows everything?
17 You suffer in your clothes
when the land is silenced by the hot, south wind.
18 You cannot stretch out the sky like God
and make it look as hard as polished bronze.
19 Tell us what we should say to him;
we cannot get our arguments ready because we do not have enough understanding.
20 Should God be told that I want to speak?
Would a person ask to be swallowed up?
21 No one can look at the sun
when it is bright in the sky
after the wind has blown all the clouds away.
22 God comes out of the north in golden light,
in overwhelming greatness.
23 The Almighty is too high for us to reach.
He has great strength;
he is always right and never punishes unfairly.
24 That is why people honor him;
he does not respect those who say they are wise.”
7 Dear friends, we have these promises from God, so we should make ourselves pure—free from anything that makes body or soul unclean. We should try to become holy in the way we live, because we respect God.
Paul’s Joy
2 Open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, we have not ruined the faith of anyone, and we have not cheated anyone. 3 I do not say this to blame you. I told you before that we love you so much we would live or die with you. 4 I feel very sure of you and am very proud of you. You give me much comfort, and in all of our troubles I have great joy.
5 When we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. We found trouble all around us. We had fighting on the outside and fear on the inside. 6 But God, who comforts those who are troubled, comforted us when Titus came. 7 We were comforted, not only by his coming but also by the comfort you gave him. Titus told us about your wish to see me and that you are very sorry for what you did. He also told me about your great care for me, and when I heard this, I was much happier.
8 Even if my letter made you sad, I am not sorry I wrote it. At first I was sorry, because it made you sad, but you were sad only for a short time. 9 Now I am happy, not because you were made sad, but because your sorrow made you change your lives. You became sad in the way God wanted you to, so you were not hurt by us in any way. 10 The kind of sorrow God wants makes people change their hearts and lives. This leads to salvation, and you cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has brings death. 11 See what this sorrow—the sorrow God wanted you to have—has done to you: It has made you very serious. It made you want to restore yourselves. It made you angry and afraid. It made you want to see me. It made you care. It made you want to do the right thing. In every way you have regained your innocence. 12 I wrote that letter, not because of the one who did the wrong or because of the person who was hurt. I wrote the letter so you could see, before God, the great care you have for us. 13 That is why we were comforted.
Not only were we very comforted, we were even happier to see that Titus was so happy. All of you made him feel much better. 14 I bragged to Titus about you, and you showed that I was right. Everything we said to you was true, and you have proved that what we bragged about to Titus is true. 15 And his love for you is stronger when he remembers that you were all ready to obey. You welcomed him with respect and fear. 16 I am very happy that I can trust you fully.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.