M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
44 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.
2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money. And [the steward] did according to what Joseph had said.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
4 When they had left the city and were not yet far away, Joseph said to his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, Why have you rewarded evil for good? [Why have you stolen the silver cup?]
5 Is it not my master’s drinking cup with which he divines [the future]? You have done wrong in doing this.
6 And the steward overtook them, and he said to them these same words.
7 They said to him, Why does my lord say these things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!
8 Note that the money which we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Is it likely then that we would steal from your master’s house silver or gold?
9 With whomever of your servants [your master’s cup] is found, not only let that one die, but the rest of us will be my lord’s slaves.
10 And the steward said, Now let it be as you say: he with whom [the cup] is found shall be my slave, but [the rest of] you shall be blameless.
11 Then quickly every man lowered his sack to the ground and every man opened his sack.
12 And [the steward] searched, beginning with the eldest and stopping with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 Then they rent their clothes; and after each man had loaded his donkey again, they returned to the city.
14 Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house, for he was still there; and they fell prostrate before him.
15 Joseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? Do you not realize that such a man as I can certainly detect and know by divination [everything you do without other knowledge of it]?
16 And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? What shall we reply? Or how shall we clear ourselves, since God has found out and exposed the iniquity of your servants? Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, the rest of us as well as he with whom the cup is found.
17 But [Joseph] said, God forbid that I should do that; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for [the rest of] you, arise and go in peace to your father.
18 Then Judah came close to [Joseph] and said, O my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word to you in private, and let not your anger blaze against your servant, for you are as Pharaoh [so I will speak as if directly to him].
19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father or a brother?
20 And we said to my lord, We have a father—an old man—and a young [brother, the] child of his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s [offspring], and his father loves him.
21 And you said to your servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.
22 And we said to my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should do so, his father would die.
23 And you told your servants, Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you shall not see my face again.
24 And when we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said.
25 And our father said, Go again and buy us a little food.
26 But we said, We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face except our youngest brother is with us.
27 And your servant my father said to us, You know that [Rachel] my wife bore me two sons:
28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn to pieces, and I have never seen him since.
29 And if you take this son also from me, and harm or accident should befall him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow and evil to Sheol (the place of the dead).
30 Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life and his soul knit with the lad’s soul,
31 When he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die; and your servants will be responsible for his death and will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.
32 For your servant became security for the lad to my father, saying, If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.
33 Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant remain instead of the youth [to be] a slave to my lord, and let the young man go home with his [half] brothers.
34 For how can I go up to my father if the lad is not with me?—lest I witness the woe and the evil that will come upon my father.
14 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were all the while seeking to arrest [Jesus] by secrecy and deceit and put [Him] to death,
2 For they kept saying, It must not be during the Feast, for fear that there might be a riot of the people.
3 And while He was in Bethany, [a guest] in the house of Simon the leper, as He was reclining [at table], a woman came with an alabaster jar of ointment ([a]perfume) of pure nard, very costly and precious; and she broke the jar and poured [the perfume] over His head.
4 But there were some who were moved with indignation and said to themselves, To what purpose was the ointment ([b]perfume) thus wasted?
5 For it was possible to have sold this [perfume] for more than 300 denarii [a laboring man’s wages for a year] and to have given [the money] to the poor. And they censured and reproved her.
6 But Jesus said, Let her alone; why are you troubling her? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me [praiseworthy and noble].
7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have Me.(A)
8 She has done what she could; she came beforehand to anoint My body for the burial.
9 And surely I tell you, wherever the good news (the Gospel) is proclaimed in the entire world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve [apostles], went off to the chief priests in order to betray and hand Him over to them.
11 And when they heard it, they rejoiced and were delighted, and they promised to give him money. And he [busying himself continually] sought an opportunity to betray Him.
12 On the first day [of the Feast] of Unleavened Bread, when [as was customary] they killed the Passover lamb, [Jesus’] disciples said to Him, Where do You wish us to go [and] prepare the Passover [supper] for You to eat?
13 And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, Go into the city, and a man carrying an [earthen] jar or pitcher of water will meet you; follow him.
14 And whatever [house] he enters, say to the master of the house, The Teacher says: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover [supper] with My disciples?
15 And he will [himself] show you a large upper room, furnished [with carpets and with dining couches properly spread] and ready; there prepare for us.
16 Then the disciples set out and came to the city and found [everything] just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
17 And when it was evening, He came with the Twelve [apostles].
18 And while they were at the table eating, Jesus said, Surely I say to you, one of you will betray Me, [one] who is eating [here] with Me.(B)
19 And they began to show that they were sad and hurt, and to say to Him one after another, Is it I? or, It is not I, is it?
20 He replied to them, It is one of the Twelve [apostles], one who is dipping [bread] into the [same deep] dish with Me.
21 For the Son of Man is going as it stands written concerning Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good (profitable and wholesome) for that man if he had never been born.(C)
22 And while they were eating, He took a loaf [of bread], praised God and gave thanks and asked Him to bless it to their use. [Then] He broke [it] and gave to them and said, Take. Eat. This is My body.
23 He also took a cup [of the juice of grapes], and when He had given thanks, He gave [it] to them, and they all drank of it.
24 And He said to them, This is My blood [which ratifies] the new covenant, [the blood] which is being poured out for (on account of) many.(D)
25 Solemnly and surely I tell you, I shall not again drink of the fruit of the vine till that day when I drink it [c]of a new and a higher quality in God’s kingdom.
26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 And Jesus said to them, You will all fall away this night [that is, you will be caused to stumble and will begin to distrust and desert Me], for it stands written, I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.(E)
28 But after I am raised [to life], I will go before you into Galilee.
29 But Peter said to Him, Even if they all fall away and are caused to stumble and distrust and desert You, yet I will not [do so]!
30 And Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, this very night, before a cock crows twice, you will utterly deny Me [disclaiming all connection with Me] three times.
31 But [Peter] said more vehemently and repeatedly, [Even] if it should be necessary for me to die with You, I will not deny or disown You! And they all kept saying the same thing.
32 Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, Sit down here while I pray.
33 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be [d]struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed.
34 And He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! Remain here and keep awake and be watching.
35 And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the [[e]fatal] hour might pass from Him.
36 And He was saying, Abba, [which means] Father, everything is possible for You. Take away this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You [will].
37 And He came back and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Have you not the strength to keep awake and watch [with Me for] one hour?
38 Keep awake and watch and pray [constantly], that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
39 He went away again and prayed, saying the same words.
40 And again He came back and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what answer to give Him.
41 And He came back a third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough [of that]! The hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinful men (men [f]whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God).
42 Get up, let us be going! See, My betrayer is at hand!
43 And at once, while He was still speaking, Judas came, one of the Twelve [apostles], and with him a crowd of men with swords and clubs, [who came] from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders [of the Sanhedrin].
44 Now the betrayer had given them a signal, saying, The One I shall kiss is [the Man]; seize Him and lead [Him] away safely [so as to prevent His escape].
45 And when he came, he went up to Jesus immediately and said, Master! Master! and he [g]embraced Him and kissed Him fervently.
46 And they threw their hands on Him and arrested Him.
47 But one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the bond servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48 And Jesus said to them, Have you come out with swords and clubs as [you would] against a robber to capture Me?
49 I was with you daily in the temple [[h]porches and courts] teaching, and you did not seize Me; but [this has happened] that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.
50 Then [His disciples], forsaking Him, fled, all [of them].
51 And a young man was following Him, with nothing but a linen cloth ([i]sheet) thrown about [his] naked [body]; and they laid hold of him,
52 But, leaving behind the linen cloth ([j]sheet), he fled from them naked.
53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes were gathered together.
54 And Peter followed Him at a distance, even right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting [[k]in the firelight] with the guards and warming himself at the fire.
55 Now the chief priests and the entire council (the Sanhedrin) were constantly seeking [to get] testimony against Jesus with a view to condemning Him and putting Him to death, but they did not find any.
56 For many were repeatedly bearing false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.
57 And some stood up and were bearing false witness against Him, saying,
58 We heard Him say, I will destroy this temple (sanctuary) which is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.
59 Still not even [in this] did their testimony agree.
60 And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, Have You not even one answer to make? What [about this which] these [men] are testifying against You?
61 But He kept still and did not answer at all. Again the high priest asked Him, Are You the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), the Son of the Blessed?
62 And Jesus said, I Am; and you will [all] see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power ([l]the Almighty) and coming on the clouds of heaven.(F)
63 Then the high priest tore his garments and said, What need have we for more witnesses?(G)
64 You have heard His blasphemy. What is your decision? And they all condemned Him as being guilty and deserving of death.(H)
65 And some of them began to spit on Him and to blindfold Him and to strike Him with their fists, saying to Him, Prophesy! And the guards received Him with blows and by slapping Him.
66 While Peter was down below in the courtyard, one of the [serving] maids of the high priest came;
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she gazed intently at him and said, You were with Jesus of Nazareth too.
68 But he denied it [m]falsely and disowned Him, saying, I neither know nor understand what you say. Then he went outside [the courtyard and was] into the [n]vestibule. [o]And a cock crowed.
69 And the maidservant saw him, and began again to say to the bystanders, This [man] is [one] of them.
70 But again he denied it [p]falsely and disowned Him. And after a short while, again the bystanders said to Peter, [q]Really, you are one of them, for you are a Galilean [r]and your dialect shows it.
71 Then he commenced invoking a curse on himself [should he not be telling the truth] and swearing, I do not know the Man about Whom you are talking!
72 And at once for the second time a cock crowed. And Peter remembered how Jesus said to him, Before a cock crows twice, you will [s]utterly deny Me [disclaiming all connection with Me] three times. And [t]having put his thought upon it [and remembering], he broke down and wept aloud and [u]lamented.
10 I am weary of my life and loathe it! I will give free expression to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me [do not make me guilty]! Show me why You contend with me.
3 Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, that You should despise and reject the work of Your hands, and favor the schemes of the wicked?
4 Have You eyes of flesh? Do You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days as the days of man, are Your years as man’s [years],
6 That You inquire after my iniquity and search for my sin—
7 Although You know that I am not wicked or guilty and that there is none who can deliver me out of Your hand?
8 Your hands have formed me and made me. Would You turn around and destroy me?
9 Remember [earnestly], I beseech You, that You have fashioned me as clay [out of the same earth material, exquisitely and elaborately]. And will You bring me into dust again?
10 Have You not poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese?
11 You have clothed me with skin and flesh and have knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 You have granted me life and favor, and Your providence has preserved my spirit.
13 Yet these [the present evils] have You hid in Your heart [for me since my creation]; I know that this was with You [in Your purpose and thought].
14 If I sin, then You observe me, and You will not acquit me from my iniquity and guilt.
15 If I am wicked, woe unto me! And if I am righteous, yet must I not lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and the sight of my affliction.
16 If I lift myself up, You hunt me like a lion and again show Yourself [inflicting] marvelous [trials] upon me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me and increase Your indignation toward me; I am as if attacked by a troop time after time.
18 Why then did You bring me forth out of the womb? Would that I had perished and no eye had seen me!
19 I should have been as though I had not existed; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? Cease then and let me alone, that I may take a little comfort and cheer up
21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
22 The land of sunless gloom as intense darkness, [the land] of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as thick darkness.
14 As for the man who is a weak believer, welcome him [into your fellowship], but not to criticize his opinions or pass judgment on his scruples or perplex him with discussions.
2 One [man’s faith permits him to] believe he may eat anything, while a weaker one [limits his] eating to vegetables.
3 Let not him who eats look down on or despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains criticize and pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted and welcomed him.
4 Who are you to pass judgment on and censure another’s household servant? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he shall stand and be upheld, for the Master (the Lord) is mighty to support him and make him stand.
5 One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike [sacred]. Let everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
7 None of us lives to himself [but to the Lord], and none of us dies to himself [but to the Lord, for]
8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord.
9 For Christ died and lived again for this very purpose, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise].(A)
12 And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God.
13 Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.
14 I know and am convinced (persuaded) as one in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is [forbidden as] essentially unclean (defiled and unholy in itself). But [none the less] it is unclean (defiled and unholy) to anyone who thinks it is unclean.
15 But if your brother is being pained or his feelings hurt or if he is being injured by what you eat, [then] you are no longer walking in love. [You have ceased to be living and conducting yourself by the standard of love toward him.] Do not let what you eat hurt or cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died!
16 Do not therefore let what seems good to you be considered an evil thing [by someone else]. [In other words, do not give occasion for others to criticize that which is justifiable for you.]
17 [After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 He who serves Christ in this way is acceptable and pleasing to God and is approved by men.
19 So let us then definitely aim for and eagerly pursue what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding (edification and development) of one another.
20 You must not, for the sake of food, undo and break down and destroy the work of God! Everything is indeed [ceremonially] clean and pure, but it is wrong for anyone to hurt the conscience of others or to make them fall by what he eats.
21 The right thing is to eat no meat or drink no wine [at all], or [do anything else] if it makes your brother stumble or hurts his conscience or offends or weakens him.
22 Your personal convictions [on such matters]—exercise [them] as in God’s presence, keeping them to yourself [striving only to know the truth and obey His will]. Blessed (happy, [a]to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves [who does not convict himself by what he chooses to do].
23 But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats [perhaps because of you], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful].
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation