M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Jacob Meets Rachel

29 Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. ² As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. A large stone was on the well’s opening. ³ When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds rolled the stone from the well’s opening, watered the sheep, then put the stone back on the well’s opening in its place.

⁴ Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?”

And they said, “We are from Harran.”

⁵ Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?”

And they said, “We know him.”

⁶ He said to them, “Is he well?”

And they said, “He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.”

⁷ He said, “Since it is yet midday, it is not the time that the livestock should be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”

⁸ They said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the well’s opening. Then we may water the sheep.”

⁹ While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them. ¹⁰ When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s opening and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. ¹¹ Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. ¹² Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. Then she ran and told her father.

¹³ When Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then Jacob told Laban all these things. ¹⁴ Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.”

And he stayed with him for a month. ¹⁵ Laban said to Jacob, “Since you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷ Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. ¹⁸ Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”

¹⁹ Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, so that I may have relations with her.”

²² Laban gathered together all the men of the place and prepared a feast. ²³ But in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob had relations with her. ²⁴ Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah for a maidservant.

²⁵ In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah, and he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?”

²⁶ Then Laban said, “It is not the custom in our country to marry off the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷ Fulfill the period of seven days for this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”

²⁸ Jacob did so and completed her week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife also. ²⁹ Laban gave Bilhah his maidservant to Rachel his daughter to be her maid. ³⁰ So Jacob also had relations with Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served Laban another seven years.

Jacob’s Children

³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. ³² Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Surely the Lord has looked upon my affliction. Now therefore my husband will love me.”

³³ She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I was unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” Then she called his name Simeon.

³⁴ She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.

³⁵ She conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped giving birth.

The Resurrection^(A)

28 At the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

² And then there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. ³ His countenance was like lightning, and his garments white as snow. ⁴ The soldiers shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid. For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here. For He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and indeed, He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him. Listen, I have told you.”

⁸ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. ⁹ As they went to tell His disciples, suddenly Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They came and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

The Report of the Guard

¹¹ While they were going, indeed, some of the soldiers went into the city and described to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave much money to the soldiers, ¹³ saying, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were sleeping.’ ¹⁴ If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you secure.” ¹⁵ So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this saying has been commonly reported among the Jews to this day.

The Commissioning of the Disciples^(B)

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went away to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshipped Him. But some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Queen Esther’s Banquet

5 On the third day, Esther put on her royal apparel and positioned herself in the king’s palace courtyard so that she would be directly in line with the part of the king’s throne room where the king sat facing the entrance of the room on his royal throne in the royal hall. ² When the king saw Queen Esther standing quietly out in the courtyard, she gained favor in his sight, so the king held out the golden scepter in his hand to Esther. Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter.

³ And the king said to her, “Queen Esther, what do you want? What is your request? Even if it is up to half of the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

⁴ Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for him.”

⁵ Then the king said, “Quickly bring Haman so that we may accept the invitation of Esther.”

So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. ⁶ While drinking wine the king said to Esther, “For whatever you ask, it shall be granted you. So, what is your request? Even if it is for as much as half of the kingdom, it shall be done.”

⁷ Then Esther replied and said, “This is my petition and request. ⁸ If I have won the king’s favor, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do what the king says.”

Haman’s Plan to Destroy Mordecai

⁹ Haman left that day joyfully and with a glad heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, that he neither stood up nor trembled because of him, then Haman was full of indignation against Mordecai. ¹⁰ Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself, and when he came to his home, he sent for his friends and for his wife Zeresh.

¹¹ Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, his many children, and everything about him the king had praised, and how he had promoted him over the princes and servants of the king. ¹² Then Haman continued, “Indeed, Queen Esther brought to the banquet she had prepared no one but the king and me, and tomorrow I am again invited by her with the king. ¹³ Yet for all this, I am not satisfied whenever I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

¹⁴ Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends suggested to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits^[a] tall be constructed, and in the morning ask the king if Mordecai can be hanged on it. Then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the suggestion pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.

Paul in Malta

28 When they had escaped, they learned that the island was called Malta. ² The natives showed extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because of the rain and the cold. ³ When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper driven out by the heat fastened on his hand. ⁴ When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice does not allow him to live.” ⁵ But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They expected him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But while they waited and saw no harm befall him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

⁷ In that area was an estate of the chief man of the island, named Publius, who had welcomed us and courteously housed us for three days. ⁸ It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, placing his hands on him, prayed and healed him. ⁹ When this happened, the rest on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰ They honored us in many ways. And when we sailed, they provided us with necessary supplies.

Paul Arrives in Rome

¹¹ After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. ¹² Landing at Syracuse, we waited there for three days. ¹³ From there we circled around and sailed to Rhegium. After one day the south wind blew, and the next day we arrived at Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found brothers, and were invited to remain with them for seven days. And so we went to Rome. ¹⁵ From there, when the brothers heard of us, they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius^[a] and the Three Taverns^[b] to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶ When we arrived at Rome, the centurion handed the prisoners over to the captain of the guard. But Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul Preaches in Rome

¹⁷ After three days Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, having done nothing contrary to our people or the customs of our fathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸ When they had examined me, they were determined to release me, because there was no charge against me deserving death. ¹⁹ But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any charge to bring against my nation. ²⁰ For this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, because I am bound with this chain for the hope of Israel.”

²¹ They said to him, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers that have come have reported or spoken any evil of you. ²² But we think it is proper to hear from you what you think. For concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ When they had arranged a day to be with him, many came to him at his residence. From morning until evening he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God to them, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. ²⁴ Some believed what was said, but some did not believe. ²⁵ Being in disagreement with one another, they were dismissed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit accurately spoke to our fathers through Isaiah the prophet,

²⁸ “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles. They will hear it!”

²⁹ When he had said these words, the Jews departed and disputed greatly among themselves. ³⁰ Paul remained two whole years in his own rented house. He welcomed all who came to him, ³¹ boldly and freely preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.