M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Tower at Babylon
11 Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. 2 And as men traveled in the east, they found a valley in the land of Shinar and made their home there. 3 They said to one another, “Come, let us make blocks and burn them until they are hard.” They used blocks for stone, and tar to hold them together. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build a city for ourselves, with a tower that touches the heavens. Let us make a name for ourselves, or else we may be sent everywhere over the whole earth.”
5 Then the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “See, they are one people, and they all have the same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do. Now all they plan to do will be possible for them. 7 Come, let Us go down and mix up their language so they will not understand what each other says.” 8 So the Lord sent them everywhere over the whole earth. And they stopped building the city. 9 So the name of the city was Babel, because there the Lord mixed up the language of the whole earth. The Lord sent the people everywhere over the whole earth.
The Families after Shem
10 These are the children of Shem. When Shem had lived 100 years, he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood. 11 Shem lived 500 years after the birth of Arpachshad. He had other sons and daughters.
12 When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah. 13 Arpachshad lived 403 years after the birth of Shelah. He had other sons and daughters.
14 When Shelah had lived thirty years, he became the father of Eber. 15 Shelah lived 403 years after the birth of Eber. He had other sons and daughters.
16 When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg. 17 Eber lived 430 years after the birth of Peleg. He had other sons and daughters.
18 When Peleg had lived thirty years, he became the father of Reu. 19 Peleg lived 209 years after the birth of Reu. He had other sons and daughters.
20 When Reu had lived thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug. 21 Reu lived 207 years after the birth of Serug. He had other sons and daughters.
22 When Serug had lived thirty years, he became the father of Nahor. 23 Serug lived 200 years after the birth of Nahor. He had other sons and daughters.
24 When Nahor had lived twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah. 25 Nahor lived 119 years after the birth of Terah. He had other sons and daughters.
26 When Terah had lived seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.
27 Now these are the children of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died with his father Terah beside him in the land of his birth, Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai. The name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran. Haran was the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 But Sarai could not give birth. She had no child. 31 Terah took his son Abram, and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram and they went together from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan. But when they went as far as Haran, they made their home there. 32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.
Jesus Calls Twelve Followers and Sends Them Out (A)
10 Jesus called His twelve followers to Him. He gave them power to put out demons and to heal all kinds of sickness and disease. 2 These are the names of the twelve followers. There were Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John who were the sons of Zebedee. 3 There were Philip and Bartholomew and Thomas. There was Matthew, the man who gathered taxes. There were James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeaus, and 4 Simon the Canaanite. There was Judas Iscariot who handed Jesus over to be killed.
5 Jesus sent out these twelve followers. He told them to go, saying, “Stay away from people who are not Jews. And do not go to any town in the country of Samaria. 6 But go to the Jewish people who are lost. 7 As you go, preach. Say, ‘The holy nation of heaven is near.’ 8 Heal the sick and those with bad skin diseases. Raise the dead. Put out demons. You have received much, now give much. 9 Do not take gold or silver or brass money with you. 10 Do not take a bag of things for the trip. Do not take two coats or shoes or a walking stick. A workman should receive his food and what he needs.
11 “When you come to a city or town, find a home that is respected and stay there until you leave. 12 As you go into a house, tell them you hope good comes to them. 13 And if the house is respected, give them your good wishes. If it is not respected, let your good wishes come back to you. 14 Whoever does not receive you or does not listen to what you say, as you leave that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 For sure, I tell you, it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day men stand before God and are told they are guilty, than for that city.
16 “I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all around you. Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves. 17 But look out for men. They will take you up to their courts and they will hurt you in their places of worship. 18 They will take you in front of the leaders of the people and of the kings because of Me. You will tell them and the people who do not know God about Me. 19 When you are put into their hands, do not worry what you will say or how you will say it. The words will be given you when the time comes. 20 It will not be you who will speak the words. The Spirit of your Father will speak through you.
21 “A brother will hand over a brother to be put to death. A father will hand over his child to be put to death. Children will hand over their parents to be put to death. 22 You will be hated by all people because of Me. But he who stays true to the end will be saved. 23 When they make it hard for you in one town, go to another. For sure, I tell you, before you have gone through the Jewish cities, the Son of Man will come.
24 “A follower is not greater than his teacher. A servant who is owned by someone is not greater than his owner. 25 A follower should be happy to be as his teacher, and a servant who is owned by someone should be happy to be as his owner. If they have called the head of the house Satan, how much more will they speak against those of the house. 26 Then do not be afraid of them. For nothing is covered up that will not be brought out into the light. There is nothing hid that will not be made known. 27 You tell in the light what I tell you in the dark. You must speak with a loud voice from the roofs of houses what you have heard. 28 Do not be afraid of them who kill the body. They are not able to kill the soul. But fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two small birds sold for a very small piece of money? And yet not one of the birds falls to the earth without your Father knowing it. 30 God knows how many hairs you have on your head. 31 So do not be afraid. You are more important than many small birds.
32 “Whoever makes Me known in front of men, I will make him known to My Father in heaven. 33 But whoever does not make Me known in front of men and acts as if he does not know Me, I will not make him known to My Father in heaven.
34 “Do not think I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I came to turn a man against his father. I came to turn a daughter against her mother. I came to turn a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man will be hated by his own family.
Giving Up Things of This Earth (B)
37 “He who loves his father and mother more than Me is not good enough for Me. He who loves son or daughter more than Me is not good enough for Me. 38 He who does not take his cross and follow Me is not good enough for Me. 39 He who wants to keep his life will have it taken away from him. He who loses his life because of Me will have it given back to him.
40 “Whoever receives you, receives Me. Whoever receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me. 41 Whoever receives a preacher who speaks for God because he is a preacher, will get the reward of a preacher who speaks for God. Whoever receives a man right with God, because he is a man right with God, will get the reward of a man right with God. 42 For sure, I tell you, anyone who gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he follows Me, will not lose his reward.”
The Jews Not to Marry People Living in the Land
10 Ezra was praying and telling their sins, and crying and lying on the ground before the house of God. Many people, men, women and children, gathered around him from Israel, for the people cried with many tears. 2 Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have not been faithful to our God. We have married strange women from the people of the land. But even so, there is hope for Israel. 3 So let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and their children. Let this be done by the wise words of my lord and of those who shake with fear at the Word of our God. And let it be done by the Law. 4 Get up, for this is your duty, but we will be with you. Have strength of heart and do it.” 5 So Ezra got up and made the head religious leaders, the Levites and all Israel promise that they would do as he had said, and they promised.
6 Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. He went there, but he did not eat bread or drink water, for he was filled with sorrow because the people who returned had not been faithful to God. 7 And it was made known to all the Jews who had returned to Judah and Jerusalem that they should gather together at Jerusalem. 8 Whoever would not come within three days, as the leaders had said, would have all he owned taken away from him. He would be sent away from the people who had returned from Babylon.
9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the people sat in the open space before the house of God, shaking because of this trouble and because of much rain. 10 Then Ezra the religious leader stood up and said to them, “You have been sinful and have married wives of strange lands, adding to the guilt of Israel. 11 So now tell your sins to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from the strange wives.” 12 Then all the people answered with a loud voice, “That is right! We must do as you have said. 13 But there are many people, and there is much rain. We cannot stand in the open. This cannot be done in one or two days, for we have sinned very much. 14 Let our leaders speak for all the people. Then let all those in our cities who have married strange wives come at certain times, together with the leaders and judges of each city. Let this be done until the anger of our God, because of this sin, is turned away from us.” 15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah were against this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite following them.
16 But the other people who had returned from Babylon agreed to do this. Ezra the religious leader chose men who were leaders of family groups for each of their fathers’ houses. Each of them were chosen by name. So they met together on the first day of the tenth month to look into the problem. 17 And by the first day of the first month, they finished finding the names of all the men who had married wives from the other nations.
18 Of the sons of the religious leaders who had married strange wives were found the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 They promised to put away their wives, and because they were guilty, they gave a ram of the flock for their sin. 20 And there were Hanani and Zebadiah of the sons of Immer, 21 and Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah, of the sons of Harim, 22 and Elionai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah, of the sons of Pashur. 23 Of the Levites there were Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Of the singers there was Eliashib. Of the gate-keepers there were Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 Of Israel, there were Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah, of the sons of Parosh. 26 There were Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah, of the sons of Elam. 27 There were Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza, of the sons of Zattu. 28 There were Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai, of the sons of Bebai. 29 There were Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeramoth, of the sons of Bani. 30 There were Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh, of the sons of Pahath-moab. 31 Of the sons of Harim, there were Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 There were Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei, of the sons of Hashum. 34 Of the sons of Bani, there were Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, 38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 And there were Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah, of the sons of Nebo. 44 All these had married wives of the other nations, and some of the wives had given birth to children.
God Speaks to a Man Who Was Not a Jew
10 There was a man in the city of Caesarea by the name of Cornelius. He was a captain of an Italian group of the army. 2 He and his family were good people and honored God. He gave much money to the people and prayed always to God.
3 One afternoon about three o’clock he saw in a dream what God wanted him to see. An angel of God came to him and said, “Cornelius.” 4 He was afraid as he looked at the angel. He said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel said, “Your prayers and your gifts of money have gone up to God. He has remembered them. 5 Send some men to the city of Joppa and ask Simon Peter to come here. 6 He is living with Simon, the man who works with leather. His house is by the sea-shore. He will tell you what you must do.” 7 The angel left him. Then Cornelius called two of his servants and a religious soldier who took care of him. 8 He told what had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Dream
9 The next day they went on their way. About noon they were coming near the town. At this time Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became very hungry and wanted something to eat. While they were getting food ready to eat, he saw in a dream things God wanted him to see. 11 He saw heaven open up and something like a large linen cloth being let down to earth by the four corners. 12 On the cloth were all kinds of four-footed animals and snakes of the earth and birds of the sky. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill something and eat it.” 14 Peter said, “No, Lord! I have never eaten anything that our Law says is unclean.” 15 The voice said the second time, “What God has made clean you must not say is unclean.” 16 This happened three times. Then it was taken back to heaven.
Cornelius’ Men Find Peter
17 Peter thought about the meaning of the dream. The men that Cornelius had sent came. They were standing by the gate asking about Simon’s house. 18 They called to ask if Simon Peter was staying there.
19 Peter was still thinking about the dream when the Holy Spirit said to him, “See, three men are looking for you. 20 Get up. Go down and go with them. Do not doubt if you should go, because I sent them.” 21 Peter went down to the men who had been sent by Cornelius. He said, “I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?” 22 They said, “Cornelius sent us. He is a captain and a good man and he honors God. The whole Jewish nation can say this is true. An angel from God told him to send for you. He asks you to come to his house. He wants to hear what you have to say.”
Peter Goes to Cornelius
23 Peter asked them to come in and stay with him for the night. The next day he went with them. Some of the brothers from Joppa went along. 24 The next day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was looking for them. He had gathered all his family and close friends at his house. 25 When Peter came, Cornelius got down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up and said, “Get up! I am just a man like you.” 27 As Peter spoke with Cornelius, he went into the house and found a large group of people gathered together. 28 Peter said to them, “You know it is against our Law for a Jew to visit a person of another nation. But God has shown me I should not say that any man is unclean. 29 For this reason I came as soon as you sent for me. But I want to ask you why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago at three o’clock in the afternoon I was praying here in my house. All at once, I saw a man standing in front of me. He had on bright clothes. 31 He said to me, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayers and has remembered your gifts of love. 32 You must send to Joppa and ask Simon Peter to come here. He is staying at the house of Simon, the man who works with leather. His house is by the sea-shore.’ 33 I sent for you at once. You have done well to come. We are all here and God is with us. We are ready to hear whatever the Lord has told you to say.”
Peter Preaches in Cornelius’ House
34 Then Peter said, “I can see, for sure, that God does not respect one person more than another. 35 He is pleased with any man in any nation who honors Him and does what is right. 36 He has sent His Word to the Jews. He told them the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord of All. 37 You know the story yourselves. It was told in all the country of Judea. It began in the country of Galilee after the preaching of John the Baptist. 38 God gave Jesus of Nazareth the Holy Spirit and power. He went around doing good and healing all who were troubled by the devil because God was with Him. 39 We have seen and heard everything He did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And yet they killed Him by nailing Him to a cross. 40 God raised Him to life on the third day and made Him to be seen. 41 Not all the people saw Him but those who were chosen to see Him. We saw Him. We ate and drank with Him after He was raised from the dead. 42 He told us to preach to the people and tell them that God gave Christ the right to be the One Who says who is guilty of the living and the dead. 43 All the early preachers spoke of this. Everyone who puts his trust in Christ will have his sins forgiven through His name.”
The Holy Spirit Comes to the Family of Cornelius
44 While Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit came on all who were hearing his words. 45 The Jewish followers who had come along with Peter were surprised and wondered because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also given to the people who were not Jews. 46 They heard them speak in special sounds and give thanks to God. Then Peter said, 47 “Will anyone say that these people may not be baptized? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 He gave the word that they should be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for some days.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.