M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Gold Calf
32 When the people saw that Moses was staying a long time before coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron, and said, “Come, make a god for us who will go in front of us. For we do not know what has become of Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt.” 2 Aaron said to them, “Take the objects of gold from the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took the gold objects from their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, worked on it with a sharp tool, and by melting it, made it into a calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it. Aaron said to all the people, “Tomorrow will be a special supper to the Lord.” 6 So the next day they got up early and gave burnt gifts and peace gifts. The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play.
7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down. For your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have turned to sin. 8 They have been quick to turn aside from the way I have told them. They have melted gold and made a calf for themselves. They have worshiped it, have given gifts to it, and have said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and see, they are a strong-willed people. 10 Now let Me alone, so My anger may be against them and I may destroy them. But I will make you into a great nation.”
11 Then Moses begged the Lord his God, saying, “O Lord, why are you very angry against Your people whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the earth’? Turn from Your anger and change Your mind about destroying Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, who were your servants. You promised them by Yourself, saying, ‘I will make your children become as many as the stars of the heavens. And I will give all this land I have spoken about to your children. It will be theirs forever.’” 14 So the Lord changed His mind about the things He said He would do to His people.
15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two stone writings of the Law in his hand. The stones were written on both sides, on one side and the other. 16 The stone writings were God’s work. The writing was God’s writing cut into the stones. 17 When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they made noise, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war at the tents.” 18 But Moses said, “It is not the sound of winning, or the sound of losing. It is the sound of singing I hear.” 19 As soon as Moses came near the tents, he saw the calf and the dancing. Moses became very angry. He threw the stone writings from his hands and broke them at the base of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf they had made and burned it with fire, ground it to dust, spread it over the top of the water, and made the people of Israel drink it.
21 Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you to make you bring such great sin upon them?” 22 Aaron said, “Do not let my lord be angry. You know the people yourself and how sinful they are.
23 They said to me, ‘Make a god for us who will go in front of us. For we do not know what has become of Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt.’ 24 And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them take it off.’ So they gave it to me. I threw it into the fire and out came this calf.”
25 Moses saw that Aaron had let the people go wild and become a shame to those who hated them. 26 So Moses stood in the gate of the place where they had set up their tents and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi came together around him. 27 He said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh. And go from one end of the tents to the other, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’” 28 So the sons of Levi did as Moses said. About 3,000 men fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, “Today you have set yourselves apart for the Lord. For each man has been against his son and against his brother, so the Lord may bring good to you today.”
30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned. Now I am going up to the Lord. It might be that I can have your sin forgiven.” 31 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O, this people have sinned. They have made a god of gold for themselves. 32 But now, if You will, forgive their sin. If not, then take my name out of Your book which You have written.” 33 The Lord said to Moses, “I will put out of My book whoever has sinned against Me. 34 But go now. Lead the people where I told you. See, My angel will go before you. But in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35 Then the Lord sent trouble upon the people, because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
Jesus Hears about Lazarus
11 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2 This was the Mary who put perfume on the Lord and dried His feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick. 3 The sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, “Lord, your friend is sick!” 4 When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. It has happened so that it will bring honor to God. And the Son of God will be honored by it also.”
Jesus Tells of the Death of Lazarus
5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 But when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. 7 Then He said to His followers, “Let us go into the country of Judea again.” 8 The followers said to Him, “Teacher, the Jews tried to throw stones at You to kill You not long ago. Are You going there again?” 9 Jesus said, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks during the day, he will not fall. He sees the light of this world. 10 If a man walks during the night, he will fall. The light is not in him.”
11 After Jesus had said this, He spoke again and said, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping. I will go and wake him up.” 12 The followers said to Him, “If he is sleeping, he will get well.” 13 But Jesus meant Lazarus was dead. They thought He meant Lazarus was resting in sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them, “Lazarus is dead. 15 Because of you I am glad I was not there so that you may believe. Come, let us go to him.”
16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to the other followers, “Let us go also so we may die with Jesus.”
Jesus Tells That the Grave Will Not Hold the Dead
17 When Jesus got there, He heard that Lazarus had been in the grave four days. 18 Bethany was about one-half hour walk from Jerusalem. 19 Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to give words of comfort about their brother.
20 Martha heard that Jesus was coming and went to meet Him. Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 I know even now God will give You whatever You ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again when the dead are raised from the grave on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the One Who raises the dead and gives them life. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will live again, even if he dies. 26 Anyone who lives and has put his trust in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God. You are the One Who was to come into the world.”
Lazarus Is Raised from the Dead
28 After Martha said this, she went and called her sister Mary. She said without anyone else hearing, “The Teacher is here and has sent for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up and went to Him. 30 Jesus had not yet come into their town. He was still where Martha had met Him.
31 The Jews had been in the house comforting Mary. They saw her get up and hurry out. They followed her and said, “She is going to the grave to cry there.” 32 Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw Him, she got down at His feet. She said to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Jesus saw her crying. The Jews who came with her were crying also. His heart was very sad and He was troubled. 34 He said, “Where did you lay Lazarus?” They said, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus cried. 36 The Jews said, “See how much He loved Lazarus.” 37 Some of them said, “This Man opened the eyes of the blind man. Could He not have kept this man from dying?”
38 Jesus went to the grave with a sad heart. The grave was a hole in the side of a hill. A stone covered the door. 39 Jesus said, “Take the stone away.” The dead man’s sister, Martha, said to Him, “Lord, by now his body has a bad smell. He has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say that if you would believe, you would see the shining-greatness of God?”
41 They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank You for hearing Me. 42 I know You always hear Me. But I have said this for the people standing here, so they may believe You have sent Me.”
43 When He had said this, He called with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The man who had been dead came out. His hands and feet were tied in grave clothes. A white cloth was tied around his face. Jesus said to the people, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go!”
The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Try to Think of a Way to Kill Jesus
45 Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus had done put their trust in Him. 46 Some of them went to the proud religious law-keepers and told them what Jesus had done. 47 The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers gathered a court together. They said, “What will we do? This Man is doing many powerful works. 48 If we let Him keep doing these things, all men will put their trust in Him. The Romans will come and take away the house of God and our nation.” 49 Caiaphas was the head religious leader that year. He said to them, “You know nothing about this. 50 Do you not see it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?”
51 Caiaphas did not think of these words himself. He spoke what God had said would happen. He was telling before it happened that Jesus must die for the nation. 52 He must die not only for the nation, but also to bring together into one group the children of God who were living in many places.
53 From that day on they talked together about how they might kill Jesus. 54 For this reason Jesus did not walk out in the open among the Jews. He went to a town called Ephraim. It was near a desert. He stayed there with His followers.
The Proud Religious Law-Keepers Look for Jesus
55 The special religious gathering to remember how the Jews left Egypt was soon. Many people from around the country came up to Jerusalem to go through the religious washing before the special supper. 56 They looked for Jesus. They stood together in the house of God and asked each other, “What do you think? Will He come to the special supper?” 57 The religious leaders of the Jews and the proud religious law-keepers had said that if any man knew where Jesus was, he should tell them. They wanted to take Him.
Praising Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the hill beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 Beside the gates in front of the town, at the open doors, she cries out, 4 “I call to you, O men. My voice is to the sons of men. 5 O child-like ones, learn to use wisdom. O fools, make your mind understand. 6 Listen, for I will speak great things. What is right will come from my lips. 7 For my mouth will speak the truth. My lips hate wrong-doing. 8 All the words of my mouth are right and good. There is nothing in them that is against the truth. 9 They are all clear to him who understands, and right to those who find much learning. 10 Take my teaching instead of silver. Take much learning instead of fine gold. 11 For wisdom is better than stones of great worth. All that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, live with understanding, and I find much learning and careful thinking. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate what is sinful. I hate pride, self-love, the way of sin, and lies. 14 I have teaching and wisdom. I have understanding and power. 15 By me kings rule and rulers make laws that are fair. 16 By me rulers rule, and all the princes rule on the earth. 17 I love those who love me, and those who look for me with much desire will find me. 18 Riches and honor are mine, lasting riches and being right with God. 19 My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold. What I give is better than fine silver. 20 I walk in the way that is right with God, in the center of the ways that are fair. 21 I give riches to those who love me, and fill their store-houses.
22 “The Lord made me at the beginning of His work, before His first works long ago. 23 I was set apart long ago, from the beginning, before the earth was. 24 I was born when there were no seas, when there were no pools full of water. 25 I was born before the mountains and hills were in their places. 26 It was before He had made the earth or the fields, or the first dust of the world. 27 I was there when He made the heavens, and when He drew a mark around the top of the sea. 28 I was there when He put the skies above, and when He put the wells of the waters in their place. 29 I was there when He marked out the places for the sea, so that the waters would not go farther than what He said. I was there when He marked out the ground for the earth. 30 I was beside Him as the leading workman. I was His joy every day. I was always happy when I was near Him. 31 I was happy in the world, His earth, and found joy in the sons of men.
32 “So now, O sons, listen to me, for happy are they who keep my ways. 33 Hear my teaching and be wise. Do not turn away from it. 34 Happy is the man who listens to me, watching every day at my gates, waiting beside my doors. 35 For he who finds me finds life, and gets favor from the Lord. 36 But he who misses me hurts himself. All those who hate me love death.”
1 This letter is from Paul. I am a missionary for Jesus Christ. God wanted me to work for Him. This letter is to those who belong to Christ in the city of Ephesus and to you who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. 2 May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Let us honor and thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has already given us a taste of what heaven is like. 4 Even before the world was made, God chose us for Himself because of His love. He planned that we should be holy and without blame as He sees us. 5 God already planned to have us as His own children. This was done by Jesus Christ. In His plan God wanted this done.
6 We thank God for His loving-favor to us. He gave this loving-favor to us through His much-loved Son. 7 Because of the blood of Christ, we are bought and made free from the punishment of sin. And because of His blood, our sins are forgiven. His loving-favor to us is so rich. 8 He was so willing to give all of this to us. He did this with wisdom and understanding. 9 God told us the secret of what He wanted to do. It is this: In loving thought He planned long ago to send Christ into the world. 10 The plan was for Christ to gather us all together at the right time. If we are in heaven or still on earth, He will bring us together and will be head over all.
11 We were already chosen to be God’s own children by Christ. This was done just like the plan He had. 12 We who were the first to put our trust in Christ should thank Him for His greatness. 13 The truth is the Good News. When you heard the truth, you put your trust in Christ. Then God marked you by giving you His Holy Spirit as a promise. 14 The Holy Spirit was given to us as a promise that we will receive everything God has for us. God’s Spirit will be with us until God finishes His work of making us complete. God does this to show His shining-greatness.
Paul’s Prayer for the Christians in Ephesus
15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all Christians. 16 Since then, I always give thanks for you and pray for you. 17 I pray that the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may give you the wisdom of His Spirit. Then you will be able to understand the secrets about Him as you know Him better. 18 I pray that your hearts will be able to understand. I pray that you will know about the hope given by God’s call. I pray that you will see how great the things are that He has promised to those who belong to Him. 19 I pray that you will know how great His power is for those who have put their trust in Him. 20 It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. This same power put Christ at God’s right side in heaven. 21 This place was given to Christ. It is much greater than any king or leader can have. No one else can have this place of honor and power. No one in this world or in the world to come can have such honor and power. 22 God has put all things under Christ’s power and has made Him to be the head leader over all things of the church. 23 The church is the body of Christ. It is filled by Him Who fills all things everywhere with Himself.
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