M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
8 1 [a]he told Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Let my people go so they may serve[b] me. 2 And if you refuse to let them go, then I’m going to strike all your territory with frogs. 3 The Nile will swarm with frogs. They’ll come up and enter your house, your bedroom, your bed, and your servants’ houses. They’ll jump on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. 4 The frogs will be all over you and your servants.”’”
5 [c]Then the Lord told Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the Nile River,[d] and over the ponds, and bring up frogs over the land of Egypt.’” 6 So Aaron stretched his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the magicians did the same thing[e] with their secret arts, and they brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the Lord so that he may remove the frogs from me and my people. I’ll let the people go so they can offer sacrifices to the Lord.”
9 Moses told Pharaoh, “You decide[f] when I should plead for you, your servants, and your people to remove[g] the frogs from you and your household. They’ll remain only in the Nile River.[h]”
10 Pharaoh[i] said, “Tomorrow.”
Moses[j] said, “It will be just as you say,[k] so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 11 The frogs will leave you, your house, your officials,[l] and your people. They’ll remain only in the Nile River.[m]”
12 Then Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh’s presence, and Moses cried out to the Lord about the frogs which he had sent[n] on Pharaoh. 13 The Lord did just as Moses asked,[o] and the frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards, and in the fields. 14 They gathered them up into large piles and the land smelled terrible. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.
The Plague of Gnats
16 Then the Lord told Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff, strike the dust of the ground, and the dust[p] will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’” 17 They did this.[q] Aaron stretched his hand out with his staff, struck the dust of the land, and gnats came on people and animals—all the dust of the ground became gnats throughout the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried[r] to do the same thing[s] with their secret arts, but they were unable to bring out the gnats. The gnats were on the people and the animals.
19 The magicians told Pharaoh, “It is the finger of God!”[t] But Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn[u] and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.
20 The Lord told Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he’s going down to the water. You are to say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Let my people go so they can serve[v] me. 21 But if you don’t let my people go, I’ll send swarms of insects upon you, your servants, your people, and your households. The houses of Egypt—and even the ground on which they stand—will be filled with swarms of insects. 22 On that day I’ll treat the land of Goshen where my people live[w] differently so that swarms of insects won’t be there. As a result, you will know that I the Lord am in the midst of the land. 23 I’ll make a distinction between my people and your people, and this sign will occur tomorrow.”’”
24 The Lord did this, and dense swarms of insects came into the house of Pharaoh and into the houses of his servants. The land was ruined throughout[x] Egypt because of the swarms of insects. 25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, offer sacrifices to your God in the land.”
26 “It wouldn’t be right to sacrifice in this way,”[y] Moses replied, “because if we do,[z] we will sacrifice to the Lord our God what is offensive to the Egyptians.[aa] If we offer sacrifices that are offensive to the Egyptians[ab] in front of them, they’ll stone us, won’t they? 27 We must go a three-day journey into the desert, and we’ll offer sacrifices to the Lord our God just as he has told us.”
28 Then Pharaoh said, “I’ll let you go so you can offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert. But you must not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29 Moses said, “Right now I’m going to leave you, and I’ll pray to the Lord that the swarms of insects may depart from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people tomorrow. But Pharaoh, don’t continue lying by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”
30 Then Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and prayed to the Lord. 31 The Lord did what Moses asked,[ac] and the swarms of insects departed from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. Not one remained. 32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart, and he did not let the people go.
Teaching about Prayer(A)
11 Once Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples told him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”
2 So he told them, “Whenever you pray you are to say,
‘Father,[b] may your name be kept holy.
May your kingdom come.[c]
3 Keep giving us every day our daily bread,[d]
4 and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive everyone who sins against us.[e]
And never bring us into temptation.’”[f]
5 Then he told them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. 6 A friend of mine on a trip has dropped in on me, and I don’t have anything to serve him.’ 7 Suppose he answers from inside, ‘Stop bothering me! The door is already locked, and my children are here with us in the bedroom.[g] I can’t get up and give you anything!’ 8 I tell you, even though that man[h] doesn’t want to get up and give him anything because he is his friend, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
Ask, Search, Knock(B)
9 So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door[i] will be opened for you, 10 because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door[j] opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish,[k] would give him a snake instead of the fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, would he give him a scorpion? 13 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!”
Jesus is Accused of Working with Beelzebul(C)
14 Jesus[l] was driving a demon out of a man who was[m] unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man[n] began to speak, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, wanting to test Jesus,[o] kept asking him for a sign from heaven.
17 Since he knew what they were thinking, he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is devastated, and a divided household collapses.[p] 18 Now, if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? After all, you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers[q] drive them out? That is why they will be your judges! 20 But if I drive out demons by the power[r] of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own mansion, his property is safe. 22 But when a stronger man than he attacks and defeats him, the stronger man[s] strips off that man’s armor in which he trusted and then divides his plunder.
23 “The person who isn’t with me is against me, and the person who doesn’t gather with me scatters.”
The Return of the Unclean Spirit(D)
24 “Whenever an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest but doesn’t find any. So it says, ‘I will go back to my home that I left.’ 25 When it gets back home, it finds it swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
True Blessedness
27 As Jesus[t] was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and told him, “How blessed is the womb that gave birth to you and the breasts that nursed you!”
28 But he said, “Instead, how blessed are those who hear God’s word and obey it!”
The Sign of Jonah(E)
29 Now as the crowds continued to throng around Jesus,[u] he went on to say, “This people living today are[v] an evil generation. It craves a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah, 30 because just as Jonah became a sign[w] to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation. 31 The queen of the south will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today,[x] because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, something greater than Solomon is here! 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today,[y] because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look, something greater than Jonah is here!”
The Lamp of the Body(F)
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hiding place[z] or under a basket,[aa] but on a lamp stand, so that those who enter may see its light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light. But when it’s evil, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore, be careful that the light in you isn’t darkness. 36 Now if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.”
Jesus Denounces the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law(G)
37 After Jesus[ab] had said this, a Pharisee invited him to have a meal with him. So Jesus[ac] went and took his place at the table. 38 The Pharisee was surprised to see that he didn’t first wash before the meal. 39 But the Lord told him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but on the inside you are full of greed and evil. 40 You fools! The one who made the outside made the inside, too, didn’t he? 41 So give what is inside to the poor, and then everything will be clean for you.
42 “How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, spices, and every kind of herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others.
43 How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You love to have the places of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted in the marketplaces.
44 How terrible it will be for you! You are like unmarked graves—people walk on them without realizing it.”
45 Then one of the experts in the Law told him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us, too.”
46 Jesus[ad] said, “How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law, too! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, yet you don’t even lift a finger to ease those burdens.
47 How terrible it will be for you! You build monuments for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them! 48 So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed those for whom you are building monuments. 49 That is why the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. They will kill some of them and persecute others,’[ae] 50 so those living today[af] will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that was shed since the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel[ag] to the blood of Zechariah,[ah] who died between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation!
52 How terrible it will be for you experts in the Law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn’t go in yourselves, and you kept out those who were trying to go in.”
53 As Jesus[ai] was leaving, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely, interrogating him about many things. 54 They watched him closely in an effort to trap him in something he might say.
Bildad Speaks a Third Time
25 Bildad from Shuah responded and said:
2 “Dominion and fear belong to God;[a]
who fashions peace in his high heaven.
3 Is there any limit to his armies?
On whom does his light not shine?[b]
4 How can a human being[c] become right with God?
How can a human being[d] be pure?
5 Behold, even the moon isn’t bright,
and the stars aren’t pure in his eyes.
6 How much less is man, who is only a maggot,
or a man’s children, who are only worms!”
Job Reasons with Bildad
26 In reply, Job responded:
2 “What a help you are to the weak!
How powerfully you deliver those without strength!
3 What counsel you provide to the fool!
What insight you provide so abundantly!
4 Who helped you say all of this?
Who inspired you?”
Job Acknowledges God’s Power
5 “The ghosts of the dead[e] writhe under the waters
along with those who live there with them.
6 Sheol[f] is naked before God[g]
and Abaddon[h] has no clothes.
7 He spreads out the north over empty space,
suspending the earth over nothing.
8 “He restricts the waters within clouds
and the clouds don’t burst open under them.
9 He has enclosed the face of the full moon
and spread his clouds over it.
10 He has delimited a boundary[i] over the surface of the oceans
as a limit between light and darkness.
11 The pillars of the heavens tremble
and are astounded at his rebuke.
12 By his power he disturbs the sea;
and with his skill he shatters the sea monster.[j]
13 He clears the skies with his wind;
his hands have pierced the fleeing serpent.
14 Indeed, these are the fringes of his ways,
and how faint is the whisper we’ve heard of it!
But who can comprehend the thunder of his might?”
Concerning Spiritual Gifts
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were unbelievers,[a] you were enticed and led astray to worship[b] idols that couldn’t even speak. 3 For this reason I want you to be aware that no one who is speaking by God’s Spirit can say, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, 5 and there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of results, but it is the same God who produces all the results in everyone.
7 To each person has been given the ability to manifest the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one has been given a message of wisdom by the Spirit; to another the ability to speak with knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit; 10 to another miraculous results; to another prophecy; to another the ability to distinguish between spirits; to another various kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11 But one and the same Spirit produces all these results and gives what he wants to each person.
The Unity and Diversity of Spiritual Gifts
12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, form a single body, so it is with the Messiah.[c] 13 For by[d] one Spirit all of us—Jews and Greeks, slaves and free—were baptized into one body and were all privileged to drink from one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of only one part, but of many. 15 If the foot says, “Since I’m not a hand, I’m not part of the body,” that does not make it any less a part of the body, does it? 16 And if the ear says, “Since I’m not an eye, I’m not part of the body,” that does not make it any less a part of the body, does it? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body[e] were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has arranged the parts, every one of them, in the body according to his plan.[f] 19 Now if all of it were one part, there wouldn’t be a body, would there? 20 So there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are in fact indispensable, 23 and the parts of the body that we think are less honorable are treated with special honor, and we make our less attractive parts more attractive. 24 However, our attractive parts don’t need this. But God has put the body together and has given special honor to the parts that lack it, 25 so that there might be no disharmony in the body, but that its parts should have the same concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is praised, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the Messiah’s[g] body and individual parts of it. 28 God has appointed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who help others, administrators, and those who speak[h] various kinds of languages. 29 Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they? 30 Not all have the gift of healing, do they? Not all speak in foreign[i] languages, do they? Not all interpret, do they? 31 Keep on desiring[j] the better gifts. And now I will show you the best way of all.
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