M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
43 But the hunger and destitution and starvation were very severe and extremely distressing in the land [Canaan].
2 And when [the families of Jacob’s sons] had eaten up the grain which the men had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food.
3 But Judah said to him, The man solemnly and sternly warned us, saying, You shall not see my face again unless your brother is with you.
4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down [to Egypt] and buy you food;
5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.
6 And Israel said, Why did you do me such a wrong and suffer this evil to come upon me by telling the man that you had another brother?
7 And they said, The man asked us straightforward questions about ourselves and our relatives. He said, Is your father still alive? Have you another brother? And we answered him accordingly. How could we know that he would say, Bring your brother down here?
8 And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.
9 I will be security for him; you shall require him of me [personally]; if I do not bring him back to you and put him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10 For if we had not lingered like this, surely by now we would have returned the second time.
11 And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so, now do this; take of the choicest products in the land in your sacks and carry down a present to the man, a little balm (balsam) and a little honey, aromatic spices and gum (of rock rose) or ladanum, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
12 And take double the [grain] money with you; and the money that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again with you; there is a possibility that [its being in your sacks] was an oversight.
13 Take your brother and arise and return to the man;
14 May God Almighty give you mercy and favor before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved [of my sons], I am bereaved.
15 Then the men took the present, and they took double the [grain] money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house and kill an animal and make ready, for the men will dine with me at noon.
17 And the man did as Joseph ordered and brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we came, so that he may find occasion to accuse and assail us, take us for slaves, and seize our donkeys.
19 So they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house and talked with him at the door of the house,
20 And said, O sir, we came down truly the first time to buy food;
21 And when we came to the inn, we opened our sacks and there was each man’s money, full weight, returned in the mouth of his sack. Now we have brought it back again.
22 And we have brought down with us other money to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.
23 But [the steward] said, Peace be to you, fear not; your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money. And he brought Simeon out to them.
24 And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys provender.
25 And they made ready the present they had brought for Joseph before his coming at noon, for they heard that they were to dine there.
26 And when Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which they had with them, and bowed themselves to him to the ground.
27 He asked them of their welfare and said, Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?
28 And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive. And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance.
29 And he looked up and saw his [full] brother Benjamin, his mother’s [only other] son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to you, my son!
30 And Joseph hurried from the room, for his heart yearned for his brother, and he sought privacy to weep; so he entered his chamber and wept there.
31 And he washed his face and went out, and, restraining himself, said, Let dinner be served.
32 And [the servants] set out [the food] for [Joseph] by himself, and for [his brothers] by themselves, and for those Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, according to the Egyptian custom not to eat food with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 And [Joseph’s brothers] were given seats before him—the eldest according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another amazed [that so much was known about them].
34 [Joseph] took and sent helpings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank freely and were merry with him.
13 And as [Jesus] was coming out of the temple [[a]area], one of His disciples said to Him, Look, Teacher! Notice the sort and quality of these stones and buildings!
2 And Jesus replied to him, You see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be loosened and torn down.
3 And as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple [[b]enclosure], Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately,
4 Tell us when is this to take place and what will be the sign when these things, all [of them], are about to be accomplished?
5 And Jesus began to tell them, Be careful and watchful that no one misleads you [about it].
6 Many will come in [[c]appropriating to themselves] the name [of Messiah] which belongs to Me [[d]basing their claims on the use of My name], saying, I am [He]! And they will mislead many.
7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not get alarmed (troubled and frightened); it is necessary [that these things] take place, but the end is not yet.
8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines and calamities. This is but the beginning of the [e]intolerable anguish and suffering [only the first of the [f]birth pangs].
9 But look to yourselves; for they will turn you over to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake as a testimony to them.
10 And the good news (the Gospel) must first be preached to all nations.
11 Now when they take you [to court] and put you under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say [g]nor [even] meditate about it; but say whatever is given you in that hour and at [h]the moment, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 And brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; and children will take a stand against their parents and [have] them put to death.
13 And you will be hated and detested by everybody for My name’s sake, but he who patiently perseveres and endures to the end will be saved ([i]made a partaker of the salvation by Christ, and delivered [j]from spiritual death).
14 But when you see the abomination of desolation mentioned by Daniel the prophet standing where it ought not to be—[and] let the one who reads take notice and consider and understand and heed [this]—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.(A)
15 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house nor go inside to take anything out of his house;
16 And let him who is in the field not turn back again to get his mantle (cloak).
17 And alas for those who are pregnant and for those who have nursing babies in those days!
18 Pray that it may not occur in winter,
19 For at that time there will be such affliction (oppression and tribulation) as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until this particular time—and [k]positively never will be [again].
20 And unless the Lord had shortened the days, no human being would be saved (rescued); but for the sake of the elect, His chosen ones (those whom He [l]picked out for Himself), He has shortened the days.(B)
21 And then if anyone says to you, See, here is the Christ (the Messiah)! or, Look, there He is! do not believe it.
22 False Christs (Messiahs) and false prophets will arise and show signs and [work] miracles to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect (those God has chosen out for Himself).
23 But look to yourselves and be on your guard; I have told you everything beforehand.
24 But in those days, after [the affliction and oppression and distress of] that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;(C)
25 And the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.(D)
26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great (kingly) power and glory (majesty and splendor).(E)
27 And then He will send out the angels and will gather together His elect (those He has [m]picked out for Himself) from the four winds, from the farthest bounds of the earth to the farthest bounds of heaven.
28 Now learn a lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its branch becomes tender and it puts forth its leaves, you recognize and know that summer is near.
29 So also, when you see these things happening, you may recognize and know that He is near, at [the very] door.
30 Surely I say to you, this generation ([n]the whole multitude of people living at that one time) positively will not perish or pass away before all these things take place.
31 Heaven and earth will perish and pass away, but My words will not perish or pass away.
32 But of that day or that hour not a [single] person knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33 Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch [o]and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.
34 It is like a man [[p]already] going on a journey; when he leaves home, he puts his servants in charge, each with his particular task, and he gives orders to the doorkeeper to be constantly alert and on the watch.
35 Therefore watch (give strict attention, be cautious and alert), for you do not know when the Master of the house is coming—in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning—
36 [Watch, I say] lest He come suddenly and unexpectedly and find you asleep.
37 And what I say to you I say to everybody: Watch (give strict attention, be cautious, active, and alert)!
9 Then Job answered and said,
2 Yes, I know it is true. But how can mortal man be right before God?
3 If one should want to contend with Him, he cannot answer one [of His questions] in a thousand.
4 [God] is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has [ever] hardened himself against Him and prospered or even been safe?
5 [God] Who removes the mountains, and they know it not when He overturns them in His anger;
6 Who shakes the earth out of its place, and the pillars of it tremble;
7 Who commands the sun, and it rises not; Who seals up the stars [from view];
8 Who alone stretches out the heavens and treads upon the waves and high places of the sea;
9 Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the [loose cluster] Pleiades, and the [vast starry] spaces of the south;
10 Who does great things past finding out, yes, marvelous things without number.
11 Behold, He goes by me, and I see Him not; He passes on also, but I perceive Him not.
12 Behold, He snatches away; who can hinder or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, What are You doing?
13 God will not withdraw His anger; the [proud] helpers of Rahab [arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.
14 How much less shall I answer Him, choosing out my words to reason with Him
15 Whom, though I were righteous (upright and innocent) yet I could not answer? I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge [for my right].
16 If I called and He answered me, yet would I not believe that He listened to my voice.
17 For He overwhelms and breaks me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 If I speak of strength, behold, He is mighty! And if of justice, Who, says He, will summon Me?
20 Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, He would prove me perverse.
21 Though I am blameless, I regard not myself; I despise my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say, God [does not discriminate, but] destroys the blameless and the wicked.
23 When [His] scourge slays suddenly, He mocks at the calamity and trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blinded to justice]. If it is not [God], who then is it [responsible for all this inequality]?
25 Now my days are swifter than a runner; they flee away, they see no good.
26 They are passed away like the swift rowboats made of reeds, or like the eagle that swoops down on the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good cheer and brighten up,
28 I become afraid of all my pains and sorrows [yet to come], for I know You will not pronounce me innocent [by removing them].
29 I shall be held guilty and be condemned; why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?
30 If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Yet You will plunge me into the ditch, and my own clothes will abhor me [and refuse to cover so foul a body].
32 For [God] is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I should answer Him, that we should come together in court.
33 There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both, [would that there were!](A)
34 That He might take His rod away from [threatening] me, and that the fear of Him might not terrify me.
35 [Then] would I speak and not fear Him, but I am not so in myself [to make me afraid, were only a fair trial given me].
13 Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment.(A)
2 Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them].
3 For civil authorities are not a terror to [people of] good conduct, but to [those of] bad behavior. Would you have no dread of him who is in authority? Then do what is right and you will receive his approval and commendation.
4 For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer.
5 Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath and escape punishment, but also as a matter of principle and for the sake of conscience.
6 For this same reason you pay taxes, for [the civil authorities] are official servants under God, devoting themselves to attending to this very service.
7 Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due.
8 Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to one’s fellowmen, meeting all its requirements].
9 The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.(B)
10 Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.
11 Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).
12 The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.
13 Let us live and conduct ourselves honorably and becomingly as in the [open light of] day, not in reveling (carousing) and drunkenness, not in immorality and debauchery (sensuality and licentiousness), not in quarreling and jealousy.
14 But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).
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