M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
15 Some men came from Judea and taught the Christian brothers. They said, `You must be circumcised with the mark made on your body in the way Moses taught us. If you are not circumcised you cannot be saved.'
2 Paul and Barnabas did not agree with them. There was much talking about it. Then they decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the other men should go to Jerusalem. They would ask the apostles and church leaders there about it.
3 So the church people sent them on their way. They passed through the districts of Phoenicia and Samaria. They told them that some who were not Jews were believing in God. This news made all the Christian brothers very happy.
4 When they reached Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church people, the apostles, and the church leaders. They told all that God had done as he worked with them.
5 But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisee group stood up and said, `They must be circumcised [like the Jews]. We must tell them to keep all the laws of Moses.'
6 The apostles and the church leaders met together to talk the matter over.
7 After much talking about it, Peter stood up. He said, `Men and brothers, you know what happened in the first days. God chose me to tell the good news to those who are not Jews. They believed.
8 God knows what is in a person's heart. He proved that they believed. He gave them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.
9 God made no difference between them and us. He made their hearts clean when they believed.
10 So now why are you doing what God did not do? You give the disciples a hard thing to do. Our fathers could not do it. And we cannot do it.
11 We believe that the Lord Jesus saves us because he is kind. And that is why he saves them.'
12 Then all the people stopped talking. They listened to what Paul and Barnabas had to say. They told them about all the signs and wonderful things that God had helped them to do among the people who were not Jews.
13 When they had finished talking, James said, `Men and brothers, listen to me.
14 Simeon has told us how God came the first time to the people who are not Jews. God chose some of them to belong to him and be his people.
15 This is what the prophets of God said long ago.
16 They said, "After this, I will come back and build up again the house of David which has fallen down. I will take the broken pieces and build a house again.
17 Then all the other people will find God, even those who are not Jews but who belong to me. So says the Lord, who is doing all these things."
18 `He told us these things long ago.
19 So now, this is what I think. We should not trouble those who are not Jews but who have turned to God.
20 We should write them a letter and tell them what they must not do. They must not eat food that has been given to idols. They must not have sex with someone who is not their husband or wife. They must not eat the meat of animals that are killed by choking. They must not taste blood.
21 Since the times of long ago there have been men who told about Moses in every city. They read his laws in the meeting places every Sabbath day.'
22 Then the apostles, and the leaders, and all the church people chose men from among themselves. They sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas, whose other name was Barsabbas, and Silas. They were leaders among the Christian brothers.
23 They sent a letter with them. It said, `The apostles, the church leaders, and the Christian brothers send greetings to the Christians who are not Jews in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.
24 We have heard that some of our people visited you and talked to you. They taught things that troubled you and made you believe wrong things. They said, "You must be circumcised like the Jews and keep the law." We did not tell them to teach you this.
25 All of us gathered here have chosen some men. We are sending them with our dear brothers, Barnabas and Paul.
26 Barnabas and Paul have been willing to die for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We are sending Judas and Silas. They will tell you the same things that we have written in the letter.
28 The Holy Spirit and we thought it was not good to give you a hard thing to do. But here is what you must not do.
29 You must not eat food that has been given to idols. You must not eat the meat of animals that are killed by choking. You must not taste blood. You must not commit adultery. If you keep away from these things, you will do well. Goodbye.'
30 So the men left and went to Antioch. There they called the people together and gave them the letter.
31 When the people read the letter, they were very glad. It helped them to become stronger in what they believed.
32 Judas and Silas were prophets. They said many things to the Christian brothers and helped them to believe more strongly.
33 They stayed there for a while. Then the brothers sent them back to those who had sent them. They sent a greeting of peace with them.
34 But Silas thought it was good to stay at Antioch.
35 Paul and Barnabas stayed there too. They taught the people and told them the Lord's message. Many other men did this also.
36 Some days later, Paul said to Barnabas, `Let us go back and visit the brothers in every city where we have told the Lord's message. Let us see how they are doing.'
37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them.
38 But Paul did not think that they should take him. John Mark had left them when they were at Pamphylia. He had not gone along with them to do the work.
39 The feeling about this matter was very strong between Barnabas and Paul, so they did not go together. Barnabas took Mark and went in a boat to Cyprus.
40 Paul chose Silas. The Christian brothers asked the Lord to bless Paul. Then he went on his way.
41 Paul travelled through Syria and Cilicia. He helped the church people to believe more strongly.
10 Jesus left that place and went through the country of Judea on the other side of the Jordan river. Many people came to him there again. He taught them as he always did.
2 The Pharisees came to him and asked, `Is it right for a man to send his wife away from him?' They asked this to test Jesus.
3 Jesus answered, `What law did Moses give you?'
4 They said, `Moses allowed a man to write a paper to show that he does not want her any more. Then he may send her away.'
5 Jesus said to them, `Moses wrote that law because your hearts are so hard.
6 From the time God first made people, he made them man and woman.
7 That is why a man must leave his father and mother and stay with his wife.
8 The two of them will be like one person. So they are not two people any more, but they are one person.
9 Man must not separate what God has joined together.'
10 When they were in the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.
11 So Jesus said, `If any man sends away his wife and marries another woman, he commits adultery against her. [He takes another woman who is not his wife.]
12 If a woman sends away her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.'
13 They brought children to Jesus. They wanted him to put his hands on them. The disciples tried to stop the people.
14 When Jesus saw what the disciples did, he did not like it. He said, `Let the children come to me. Do not try to stop them.
15 I tell you the truth. If anyone does not believe in the kingdom of God like a child, he will never go in.'
16 Jesus took the children up in his arms. He put his hands on them and blessed them.
17 Jesus started on the way again. A man came running and kneeled down before him. He said, `Good Teacher, what must I do so that I will live for ever?'
18 Jesus said, `Why do you call me good? Only God is good.
19 You know the laws: "Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not tell lies. Do not cheat. Respect your father and your mother." '
20 The man answered Jesus. He said, `Teacher, I have kept all those laws since I was a boy.'
21 Jesus looked at him. He loved him. He said, `You need one thing more. Go home. Sell everything you have. Give the money to the poor people. You will be rich in heaven. So be ready to carry your own cross and come with me.'
22 When the young man heard that, he was sad, because he was very rich. So he went away.
23 Then Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them, `It is very hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God.'
24 The disciples were surprised at his words. But Jesus said again, `Children, it is very hard for people who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.
25 It is easier for a big animal to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'
26 They were very much surprised. They said, `Then who can be saved?'
27 Jesus looked at them and said, `Men cannot do it but God can, because God can do anything.'
28 Peter began to speak and said to him, `See, we have left all things and have come with you.'
30 Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. If any man has left his house, or his brothers, or his sisters, his mother, or his father, or his children, or farms, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, he will receive his pay in this life. He will have a hundred times as many houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and farms. He will have trouble also. But in the next world he will live for ever.
31 But many people who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.'
32 Jesus and his disciples were on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking in front of them. The disciples were surprised. And the people who came behind were afraid. He took the twelve disciples and began to tell them what was going to happen to him.
33 He said, `We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be given over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will judge him and say he must die. They will give him over to rulers who are not Jews.
34 They will make fun of him. They will spit on him. They will beat him and kill him. After three days, he will rise again.'
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said, `Master, we want you to do for us anything we ask you.'
36 Jesus said, `What do you want me to do for you?'
37 They said, `Let one of us sit at your right side and one at your left side when you rule.'
38 But Jesus said, `You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink from the cup that I will drink from? Can you go through the big trouble that I will go through?'
39 `Yes,' they said. `We can.' Then Jesus said to them, `You will drink what I drink and you will have trouble the way I will have.
40 But I cannot choose who will sit at my right hand or at my left. It has been planned who will sit there.'
41 When the other ten disciples heard about it, they were angry with James and John.
42 Jesus called them and said, `You know the people who rule over countries make their people obey them. The great will tell the others what to do.
43 But that is not the way it is among you. Anyone among you who wants to be great must help the others.
44 Anyone among you who wants to be first shall be a servant to the others.
45 The Son of Man did not come to have others help him. But he came to help others. He came to give his life to make many people free.'
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples left Jericho, many people followed him. A blind man named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. He was begging for money.
47 He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing. So he shouted, `Jesus, Son of David! Help me!'
48 Many people said, `Be quiet!' But he shouted louder, `Son of David! Help me!
49 Jesus stopped and said, `Call him.' They called the blind man and said to him, `Be glad! Come, get up! He is calling you.'
50 The man threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus.
51 Jesus said, `What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, `Teacher, I want to see.'
52 Jesus said, `Go home. Because you believe in me, your faith has made you well.' Right then he was able to see. He followed Jesus on the road.
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