M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joseph Explains Two Dreams
40 Later, two of Pharaoh’s servants did something wrong to Pharaoh. These servants were the baker and the man who served wine to Pharaoh. 2 Pharaoh became angry with his baker and wine server, 3 so he put them in the same prison as Joseph. Potiphar, the commander of Pharaoh’s guards, was in charge of this prison. 4 The commander put the two prisoners under Joseph’s care. The two men continued to stay in prison for some time. 5 One night both of the prisoners had a dream. The baker and the wine server each had his own dream, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 Joseph went to them the next morning and saw that the two men were worried. 7 He asked them, “Why do you look so worried today?”
8 The two men answered, “We both had dreams last night, but we don’t understand what we dreamed. There is no one to explain the dreams to us.”
Joseph said to them, “God is the only one who can understand and explain dreams. So I beg you, tell me your dreams.”
The Wine Server’s Dream
9 So the wine server told Joseph his dream. The server said, “I dreamed I saw a vine. 10 On the vine there were three branches. I watched the branches grow flowers and then become grapes. 11 I was holding Pharaoh’s cup, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave the cup to Pharaoh.”
12 Then Joseph said, “I will explain the dream to you. The three branches mean three days. 13 Before the end of three days, Pharaoh will forgive you and allow you to go back to your work. You will do the same work for Pharaoh as you did before. 14 But when you are free, remember me. Be good to me and help me. Tell Pharaoh about me so that I can get out of this prison. 15 I was kidnapped and taken from the land of my people, the Hebrews. I have done nothing wrong! I should not be in prison.”
The Baker’s Dream
16 The baker saw that the other servant’s dream was good, so he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I dreamed there were three baskets of bread on my head. 17 In the top basket there were all kinds of baked food for the king, but birds were eating this food.”
18 Joseph answered, “I will tell you what the dream means. The three baskets mean three days. 19 Before the end of three days, the king will take you out of this prison and cut off your head! He will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat it.”
Joseph Is Forgotten
20 Three days later it was Pharaoh’s birthday. He gave a party for all his servants. At the party Pharaoh allowed the wine server and the baker to leave the prison. 21 He freed the wine server and gave him his job back, and once again the wine server put a cup of wine in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But Pharaoh hanged the baker, and everything happened the way Joseph said it would. 23 But the wine server did not remember to help Joseph. He said nothing about him to Pharaoh. The wine server forgot about Joseph.
Jesus Teaches About Divorce(A)
10 Then Jesus left there and went into the area of Judea and across the Jordan River. Again, many people came to him, and Jesus taught them as he always did.
2 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and tried to make him say something wrong. They asked him, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 Jesus answered, “What did Moses command you to do?”
4 The Pharisees said, “Moses allowed a man to divorce his wife by writing a certificate of divorce.”[a]
5 Jesus said, “Moses wrote that command for you because you refused to accept God’s teaching. 6 But when God made the world, ‘he made people male and female.’[b] 7 ‘That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. 8 And the two people will become one.’[c] So they are no longer two, but one. 9 God has joined them together, so no one should separate them.”
10 Later, when the followers and Jesus were in the house, they asked him again about the question of divorce. 11 He said, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman has sinned against his wife. He is guilty of adultery. 12 And the woman who divorces her husband and marries another man is also guilty of adultery.”
Jesus Welcomes Children(B)
13 People brought their small children to Jesus so that he could lay his hands on them to bless them. But the followers told the people to stop bringing their children to him. 14 Jesus saw what happened. He did not like his followers telling the children not to come. So he said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because God’s kingdom belongs to people who are like these little children. 15 The truth is, you must accept God’s kingdom like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it.” 16 Then Jesus held the children in his arms. He laid his hands on them and blessed them.
A Rich Man Refuses to Follow Jesus(C)
17 Jesus started to leave, but a man ran to him and bowed down on his knees before him. The man asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get the life that never ends?”
18 Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. 19 And you know his commands: ‘You must not murder anyone, you must not commit adultery, you must not steal, you must not lie, you must not cheat, you must respect your father and mother ….’[d]”
20 The man said, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these commands since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at the man in a way that showed how much he cared for him. He said, “There is still one thing you need to do. Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
22 The man was upset when Jesus told him to give away his money. He didn’t want to do this, because he was very rich. So he went away sad.
23 Then Jesus looked at his followers and said to them, “It will be very hard for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom!”
24 The followers were amazed at what Jesus said. But he said again, “My children, it is very hard[e] to enter God’s kingdom! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom!”
26 The followers were even more amazed and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “That is something people cannot do, but God can. He can do anything.”
28 Peter said to Jesus, “We left everything to follow you!”
29 Jesus said, “I can promise that everyone who has left their home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or farm for me and for the Good News about me 30 will get a hundred times more than they left. Here in this world they will get more homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms. And with these things they will have persecutions. But in the world that is coming they will also get the reward of eternal life. 31 Many people who have the highest place now will have the lowest place in the future. And the people who have the lowest place now will have the highest place then.”
Jesus Talks Again About His Death(D)
32 Jesus and those with him were on their way to Jerusalem. He was at the front of the group. His followers were wondering what was happening, and the people who followed behind them were feeling afraid. Jesus gathered the twelve apostles again and talked with them alone. He told them what would happen in Jerusalem. 33 He said, “We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the leading priests and teachers of the law. They will say that he must die and will hand him over to the foreigners, 34 who will laugh at him and spit on him. They will beat him with whips and kill him. But on the third day after his death, he will rise to life again.”
James and John Ask for a Favor(E)
35 Then James and John, sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want to ask you to do something for us.”
36 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
37 The sons answered, “Let us share the great honor you will have as king. Let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.”
38 Jesus said, “You don’t understand what you are asking. Can you drink from the cup[f] that I must drink from? Can you be baptized with the same baptism[g] that I must go through?”
39 The sons answered, “Yes, we can!”
Jesus said to the sons, “It is true that you will drink from the cup that I drink from. And you will be baptized with the same baptism that I must go through. 40 But it is not for me to say who will sit at my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he chooses.”
41 When the other ten followers heard this, they were angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called all the followers together. He said, “The non-Jewish people have men they call rulers. You know that those rulers love to show their power over the people. And their important leaders love to use all their authority over the people. 43 But it should not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be your leader must be your servant. 44 Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. 45 Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.”
Jesus Heals a Blind Man(F)
46 Then they came to the town of Jericho. When Jesus left there with his followers, a large crowd was with them. A blind man named Bartimaeus (meaning “son of Timaeus”) was sitting by the road. He was always begging for money. 47 He heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, please help me!”
48 Many people criticized the blind man and told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”
So they called the blind man and said, “You can be happy now. Stand up! Jesus is calling you.” 50 The blind man stood up quickly. He left his coat there and went to Jesus.
51 Jesus asked the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”
He answered, “Teacher, I want to see again.”
52 Jesus said, “Go. You are healed because you believed.” Immediately the man was able to see again. He followed Jesus down the road.
Job Answers Eliphaz
6 Then Job answered:
2 “I wish my suffering could be weighed
and all my trouble be put on the scales.
3 They would be heavier than all the sand of the sea!
That is why my words are so crazy.
4 God All-Powerful has shot me with his arrows.
My spirit feels their poison!
God’s terrible weapons are lined up against me.
5 Even a wild donkey does not complain when it has grass to eat.
And a cow is quiet when it has food.
6 Food without salt does not taste good,
and the white of an egg has no taste.
7 I refuse to touch that kind of food;
it makes me sick!
8 “I wish I could have what I ask for.
I wish God would give me what I want.
9 I wish he would crush me—
just go ahead and kill me!
10 Then I would be comforted by this one thing:
Even through all this pain,
I never refused to obey the commands of the Holy One.
11 “With my strength gone, I have no hope to go on living.
With nothing to look forward to, why should I be patient?
12 I am not strong like a rock.
My body is not made from bronze.
13 I don’t have the power to help myself,
because all hope of success has been taken away from me.
14 “Friends should be loyal to you in times of trouble,
even if you turn away from God All-Powerful.[a]
15 But I cannot depend on you, my brothers.
You are like a stream that has no water when the weather is dry
but is flooded when the rains come.
16 In the winter, it is choked with ice and melting snow.
17 But when the weather is hot and dry,
the water stops flowing,
and the stream disappears.
18 It twists and turns along the way
and then disappears into the desert.
19 Traders from Tema search for it.
Travelers from Sheba hope to find it.
20 They are sure they can find water,
but they will be disappointed.
21 Now, you are like those streams.
You see my troubles and are afraid.
22 But have I ever asked you to help me?
Did I ask you to offer a bribe for me from your wealth?
23 No, and I never said, ‘Save me from my enemies!’
or ‘Save me from those who are cruel!’
24 “So now, teach me, and I will be quiet.
Show me what I have done wrong.
25 Honest words are powerful,
but your arguments prove nothing.
26 Do you plan to criticize me?
Will you speak more tiring words?
27 Are you the kind of people
who would gamble for orphans
and sell out your own friends?
28 Now, look me in the face,
and see that I am telling the truth!
29 You need to start over and stop being so unfair!
Think again, because I am innocent.
30 I am not lying.
I know right from wrong.
10 Brothers and sisters, what I want most is for all the people of Israel to be saved. That is my prayer to God. 2 I can say this about them: They really try hard to follow God, but they don’t know the right way. 3 They did not know the way that God makes people right with him. And they tried to make themselves right in their own way. So they did not accept God’s way of making people right. 4 Christ ended the law so that everyone who believes in him is made right with God.
5 Moses writes about being made right by following the law. He says, “The person who obeys these laws is the one who will have life through them.”[a] 6 But this is what the Scriptures say about being made right through faith: “Don’t say to yourself, ‘Who will go up into heaven?’” (This means “Who will go up to heaven to get Christ and bring him down to earth?”) 7 “And don’t say, ‘Who will go down into the world below?’” (This means “Who will go down to get Christ and bring him up from death?”)
8 This is what the Scripture says: “God’s teaching is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.”[b] It is the teaching of faith that we tell people. 9 If you openly say, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from death, you will be saved. 10 Yes, we believe in Jesus deep in our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we openly say that we believe in him, and so we are saved.
11 Yes, the Scriptures say, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.”[c] 12 It says this because there is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is the Lord of all people. And he richly blesses everyone who looks to him for help. 13 Yes, “everyone who trusts in the Lord[d] will be saved.”[e]
14 But before people can pray to the Lord for help, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the Lord, they must hear about him. And for anyone to hear about the Lord, someone must tell them. 15 And before anyone can go and tell them, they must be sent. As the Scriptures say, “How wonderful it is to see someone coming to tell good news!”[f]
16 But not all the people accepted that good news. Isaiah said, “Lord, who believed what we told them?”[g] 17 So faith comes from hearing the Good News. And people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.
18 But I ask, “Did those people not hear the Good News?” Yes, they heard—as the Scriptures say,
“Their voices went out all around the world.
Their words went everywhere in the world.” (A)
19 Again I ask, “Did the people of Israel not understand?” Yes, they did understand. First, Moses says this for God:
“I will use those who are not really a nation to make you jealous.
I will use a nation that does not understand to make you angry.” (B)
20 Then Isaiah is bold enough to say this for God:
“The people who were not looking for me—
they are the ones who found me.
I made myself known to those who did not ask for me.” (C)
21 But about the people of Israel God says,
“All day long I stood ready to accept those people,
but they are stubborn and refuse to obey me.” (D)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International