M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Saul persecutes the Christians. The apostles are scattered abroad. Philip comes into Samaria. Simon Magus is baptized; he dissembles. Philip baptizes the chamberlain.

8 Saul had pleasure in Stephen’s death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the congregation that was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

² Then devout men arranged Stephen’s burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³ But Saul made havoc of the congregation, and entered into every house, and drew out both men and women, and thrust them into prison.

⁴ However, those who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. ⁵ Then Philip went into a city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. ⁶ And the people gave heed to the things that Philip spoke with one accord, when they heard and saw the miracles that he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many who were possessed by them. And many who were paralyzed, and many who limped, were healed. ⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

⁹ And there was a certain man called Simon, who had previously practiced witchcraft and magic in that same city, and had bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he was a man who could do great things. ¹⁰ They regarded him highly, from the least to the greatest, saying, This fellow is the great power of God! ¹¹ And they set much store by him, because for a long time he had taken them in with magic.

¹² But as soon as they believed Philip’s preaching of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Then Simon himself believed also, and was baptized, and continued with Philip; and he marvelled, seeing the miracles and signs that were shown.

¹⁴ When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they arrived, prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet he had come on none of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, Give me also this power, so that whomever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.

²⁰ Then Peter said to him, May your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God might be obtained with money. ²¹ You have neither part nor fellowship in this work, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God that the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I perceive that you are full of bitter gall, and wrapped in iniquity.

²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, Pray to the Lord for me that none of these things that you have spoken will fall on me.

²⁵ And when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned toward Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

²⁶ Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is in the desert. ²⁷ And Philip arose and went on. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, who was a chamberlain, and of great authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, and in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to pray. ²⁸ And as he returned home again, sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

²⁹ Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake that chariot. ³⁰ And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? ³¹ And he said, How can I, unless I have a guide? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² The tenor of the scripture that he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to be slain, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth. ³³ Because of his humbleness, he was not esteemed. But who can number his descendants? For his life is taken from the earth.

³⁴ The chamberlain said to Philip, I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man? ³⁵ And Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and preached Jesus to him.

³⁶ And as they went on their way, they came to some water, and the chamberlain said, See, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized? ³⁷ Philip said to him, If you believe with all your heart, you may be. He answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

³⁸ And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they both went down into the water, both Philip and also the chamberlain, and he baptized him.

³⁹ And as soon as they had come out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the chamberlain saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus, and he walked throughout the country preaching in their towns until he came to Caesarea.

He helps the man with the withered hand, and chooses his apostles. He casts out the unclean spirit, which the Pharisees ascribe to the devil. The brother, sister, and mother of Christ.

3 And he entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. ² And they watched him to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath day, so that they might accuse him. ³ And he said to the man who had the withered hand, Arise, and stand in the midst. ⁴ And he said to them, Is it lawful to do a good deed on the Sabbath days, or an evil deed? To save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. ⁵ And he looked round about on them angrily, mourning the blindness of their hearts, and said to the man, Stretch forth your hand. And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored fully as whole as the other.

⁶ Then the Pharisees departed, and straightaway assembled a council with Herod’s men against him, so that they might destroy him.

⁷ And Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and from Judea, ⁸ and from Jerusalem and from Idumea and from beyond the Jordan, and also those who dwelt about Tyre and Sidon: great crowds who, when they heard the things he did, came to him. ⁹ And he told his disciples that a boat should be kept at hand for him, because of the people, lest they should throng him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many, insomuch that they pressed in upon him to touch him, as many as had afflictions. ¹¹ And when the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, saying, You are the Son of God! ¹² And he charged them strictly not to make him known.

¹³ And he went up into a mountain and called to him whom he wished, and they came to him. ¹⁴ And he ordained the twelve to be with him, so that he might send them to preach, ¹⁵ and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils. ¹⁶ And he gave Simon the name Peter. ¹⁷ And he called James, the son of Zebedee, and John, James’ brother, and gave them the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder. ¹⁸ And there were Andrew and Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon of Canaan, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, which same also betrayed him.

And they came to a house. ²⁰ And the people assembled together again, so greatly that they had no opportunity so much as to eat bread. ²¹ And when his family members heard of it, they set out to get him, because they thought he would be beside himself.

²² And the scribes who came from Jerusalem said, He has Beelzebub, and by the power of the chief devil he casts out devils. ²³ And Jesus called them to him and spoke to them in similitudes: How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ For if a realm is divided against itself, that realm cannot endure. ²⁵ Or if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot continue. ²⁶ So if Satan makes insurrection against himself and is divided, he cannot continue, but is at an end. ²⁷ No one can enter into a strong man’s house and take away his goods unless he first binds the strong man, and then he plunders his house. ²⁸ Truly I say to you, all sins may be forgiven the children of men, and blasphemies with which they blaspheme. ²⁹ But he who blasphemes the Holy Spirit may never have forgiveness, but is liable to eternal condemnation. ³⁰ (For they said he had an unclean spirit.)

³¹ Then his mother and his brethren arrived and stood outside, and sent to him and called for him. ³² The people were sitting around him, and they said to Jesus, Your mother and your brethren are asking for you outside. ³³ And he answered them, saying, Who are my mother and my brethren? ³⁴ And he looked round about on his disciples, who sat in a circle around him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren. ³⁵ For whosoever does the will of God, he is my brother, my sister, and mother.