M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The miracle of the seven loaves. The Pharisees ask for a sign. The leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. The blind man receives his sight.

8 In the days when there was a great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, ² I have compassion on this people, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. ³ And if I send them away to their own houses without eating, they might faint on the way, because some of them have come from far. ⁴ And his disciples answered him, Where could anyone obtain bread here in this remote place to satisfy all these? ⁵ And he asked them, How many loaves do you have? They said, Seven.

⁶ And he directed the people to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke, and gave to his disciples to set before them. And they set them before the people. ⁷ And they had a few small fishes, and he blessed them, and directed them also to be set before the people. ⁸ And they ate and were filled. And they took up of the broken food that was left seven baskets full. ⁹ And those who had eaten were in number about 4,000. And Jesus sent them away.

¹⁰ And shortly he entered into a boat with his disciples, and went into the region of Dalmanutha. ¹¹ And the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him. ¹² And he sighed in his spirit and said, Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I say to you, there will be no sign given to this generation.

¹³ And he left them and went into the boat again, and departed over the water.

¹⁴ And the disciples had forgotten to take bread with them, and had in the boat with them no more than one loaf. ¹⁵ And he charged them, saying, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. ¹⁶ And they deliberated among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

¹⁷ And when Jesus knew this, he said to them, Why are you troubled because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts still blinded? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes, but not see? And do you have ears, and not hear? Do you not remember? ¹⁹ When I broke five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? They said to him, Twelve.

²⁰ When I broke seven among four thousand, how many baskets of the leftover fragments did you take up? They said, Seven.

²¹ And he said to them, How is it that you do not understand?

²² And he came to Bethsaida, and people brought a blind man to him and asked him to touch him. ²³ And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town, and spat in his eyes, and put his hands upon him, and asked him whether he could see anything. ²⁴ And the man looked up and said, I see the people, for I see them walk, as if they were trees. ²⁵ After that Jesus put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him see. And his sight was restored, and he saw every person clearly. ²⁶ And Jesus sent him home to his house, saying, Do not go into the town, nor tell anyone in town about this.

²⁷ And Jesus went out with his disciples into the towns around the city called Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, saying, Who do people say that I am? ²⁸ And they answered, Some say that you are John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and some, one of the prophets. ²⁹ And he said to them, But who do you say that I am? Peter answered and said to him, You are the Christ. ³⁰ And he charged them to tell no one of it.

³¹ And he began to teach them how the Son of man must suffer many things, and would be reproved by the elders and by the high priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days arise again. ³² And he spoke this word plainly. But Peter took him aside and began to chide him. ³³ Then he turned around and looked on his disciples, and rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind me, Satan, for you savour not the things of God, but the things of men.

³⁴ And he called the people to him with his disciples also, and said to them, Whoever would follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever would save his life, will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake and the sake of the gospel, shall save it. ³⁶ What does it profit a man, if he should win all the world and lose his own soul? ³⁷ Or what can a person give to redeem his soul? ³⁸ Whosoever therefore is ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

The law of the Spirit gives life. The Spirit of God makes us God’s children and heirs with Christ. We cannot be separated from the abundant love of God.

8 There is then no damnation to those who are in Christ Jesus – who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit that brings life through Jesus Christ has delivered me from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh, God has performed. He sent his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and by a sin offering punished sin in the flesh, ⁴ so that the righteousness required by the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. ⁵ For those who are fleshly are fleshly minded, but those who are spiritual are spiritually minded. ⁶ To be fleshly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ For the fleshly mind is enmity against God, because it is not obedient to the law of God, neither can be. ⁸ So then, those who are given to the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But you are not given to the flesh, but to the Spirit, if it so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. If there is any person who does not have the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his. ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life for righteousness’ sake. ¹¹ And so if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from death dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from death will give life to your mortal bodies, because his Spirit dwells in you.

¹² Therefore, brethren, we are now debtors – not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³ For if you live after the flesh, you must die. But if you put to death the deeds of the body by the help of the Spirit, you will live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵ For you have not received the spirit of servanthood to fear again, but you have been given the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father! ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. ¹⁷ If we are children, we are also heirs – the heirs, I mean, of God; and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer together so that we may be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that will be shown upon us.

¹⁹ Also, the fervent desire of the creatures endures, looking for when the sons of God will appear, ²⁰ because the creatures are subdued to vanity against their will, but for the will of him who subjects them in hope. ²¹ For the very creatures will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that every creature groans with us also, and travails in pain, even to this time.

²³ Not only they, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit mourn in ourselves, and await the adoption, and look for the deliverance of our bodies. ²⁴ For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is no hope. For how can a person hope for that which he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for that which we do not see, then with patience we await it.

²⁶ Furthermore, the Spirit also relieves our infirmities. For we know not what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit makes intercession mightily for us, with groanings which cannot be expressed by tongue. ²⁷ And he who searches the hearts knows what is the intent of the Spirit, for he makes intercession for the saints according to the pleasure of God. ²⁸ For we know that all things work for the best for those who love God, who also are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he knew before, he also ordained before to be fashioned to the image of his Son, so that he may be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover, those whom he appointed before, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

  ³¹ What shall we say then to these things? If God is on our side, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him for us all, how would he not also give us all things with him? ³³ Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies; ³⁴ who then shall condemn? It is Christ who is dead – yea rather, risen again, who is also on the right hand of God, and makes intercession for us.

³⁵ Who can separate us from the love of God? Can tribulation? or anguish? or persecution? or hunger? or nakedness? or peril? or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: For your sake we are killed all day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. ³⁷ Nevertheless, in all these things we overcome strongly through the help of him who loved us. ³⁸ Yea, and I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rule, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other thing in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God shown in Christ Jesus our Lord.