M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Tower in Babylon
11 There was a time when the entire earth spoke a common language with an identical vocabulary. 2 As people[a] migrated westward,[b] they came across a plain in the region of Shinar[c] and settled there. 3 They told each other, “Come on! Let’s burn bricks thoroughly.” They used bricks for stone and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come on! Let’s build ourselves a city and a tower, with its summit in the heavens, and let’s make a name for ourselves[d] so we won’t be scattered over the surface of the whole earth.”
5 However, the Lord descended to look over the city and the tower that the humans were building. 6 The Lord said, “Look! They are one people with the same language for all of them, and this is only the beginning of what they will do.[e] Nothing that they have a mind to do will be impossible for them! 7 Come on! Let’s go down there and confuse their language, so that they won’t understand each other’s speech.”
8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the surface of the whole earth, so that they had to stop building the city. 9 Therefore it was called Babylon,[f] because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth, and from there the Lord scattered them over the surface of the entire earth.
Descendants of Shem
10 These are the family records[g] of Shem. When Shem had lived 100 years, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11 Shem lived 500 years after he fathered Arpachshad and had other[h] sons and daughters.
12 When Arpachshad had lived 35 years, he fathered Cainan. 13 After he fathered Cainan, Arpachshad lived 430 years and had other[i] sons and daughters, and then died.
Cainan lived 130 years and fathered Shelah. After he fathered Shelah, Cainan lived 330 years and had other[j] sons and daughters, and then died.[k]
14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he fathered Eber. 15 After he fathered Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other[l] sons and daughters.
16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he fathered Peleg. 17 After he fathered Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other[m] sons and daughters.
18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he fathered Reu. 19 After he fathered Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other[n] sons and daughters.
20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he fathered Serug. 21 After he fathered Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other[o] sons and daughters.
22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he fathered Nahor. 23 After he fathered Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other[p] sons and daughters.
24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he fathered Terah. 25 After he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other[q] sons and daughters.
26 When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Descendants of Terah
27 Now these are the family records[r] of Terah: Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. 28 Haran died during his father’s lifetime in the land of his birth, that is, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was barren, so she had not borne children.
31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran’s son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they journeyed together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they had gone as far as Haran, they settled there, 32 where Terah died at the age of 205 years.
Jesus Appoints Twelve Apostles(A)
10 Then Jesus[a] called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and every illness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[b] 4 Simon the Cananaean[c] and Judas Iscariot, who later[d] betrayed Jesus.[e]
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples(B)
5 These were the Twelve whom Jesus sent out after he had given them these[f] instructions: “Don’t turn on to the road that leads to the unbelievers,[g] and don’t enter Samaritan towns. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the nation[h] of Israel. 7 As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom from[i] heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
You have received without payment,
so give without payment.
9 Don’t take any gold, silver, or copper in your moneybags, 10 or a traveling bag for the trip, or an extra shirt,[j] or sandals, or a walking stick, because a worker deserves his food.
11 “Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is receptive[k] in it and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet its occupants.[l] 13 If the household is receptive,[m] let your blessing of peace come on it. But if it isn’t receptive,[n] let your blessing of peace return to you. 14 If no one welcomes you or listens to your words, as you leave that house or town, shake its dust off your feet. 15 I tell all of you[o] with certainty, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!”
Future Persecutions(C)
16 “Pay attention, now! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 Watch out for people who will hand you over to the local councils and whip you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings because of me, to testify to them and to unbelievers.[p] 19 When they hand you over, don’t worry about how you are to speak[q] or what you are to say, because in that hour what you are to say will be given to you. 20 It won’t be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through[r] you.
21 “Brother will hand brother over for execution, and a father his child. Children will rebel against parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved. 23 So when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, because I tell all of you[s] with certainty that you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a slave to be like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul,[t] how much more will they do the same to[u] those of his household!”
Fear God(D)
26 “So never be afraid of them, because there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in darkness you must speak in the daylight, and what is whispered[v] in your ear you must shout from the housetops. 28 Stop being[w] afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.[x]
29 “Two sparrows are sold for a penny, aren’t they? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s permission.[y] 30 Indeed, even the hairs on your head have all been counted! 31 So stop being[z] afraid. You are worth more than a bunch of sparrows.”
Acknowledging the Messiah(E)
32 “Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people I, too, will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people I, too, will deny before my Father in heaven.”
Not Peace, but Division(F)
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword![aa] 35 I came to turn
‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36 A person’s enemies will include members of his own family.’[ab]
The Cost of Discipleship(G)
37 “The one who loves his father or mother more than me isn’t worthy of me, and the one who loves a son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. 38 The one who doesn’t take up his cross and follow me isn’t worthy of me. 39 The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it.”
Rewards(H)
40 “The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet as[ac] a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person as[ad] a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 I tell all of you[ae] with certainty, whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is[af] a disciple will never lose his reward.”
The People Gather with Ezra
10 Now while Ezra was praying and confessing in tears, having prostrated himself to the ground before the Temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelis—men, women, and children—gathered around him. Indeed, the people were crying bitterly.
2 Jehiel’s son Shecaniah, one of Elam’s descendants, responded to Ezra: “We have sinned against our God by marrying foreign wives from the people of the land, but even now there is hope in Israel, despite this. 3 So let’s make a promise to our God by which we divorce[a] all of these foreign[b] wives—as well as those born to them—in accordance with the counsel of our Lord and of those who tremble at our God’s command. Furthermore, let it be done according to the Law. 4 So get up—it’s your responsibility! We’re with you. Be strong, and get to work.”[c]
The People Agree to Dissolve Their Marriages
5 So Ezra got up and made the chief priests, the descendants of Levi, and all of Israel vow to carry out everything they promised. And so they agreed.[d] 6 Ezra arose in front of the Temple of God to visit the apartment of Eliashib’s son Jehohanan. While there, he neither ate nor drank because he was in mourning over the sins of those who had returned from exile. 7 Then they sent word throughout Judah and Jerusalem to everyone who had returned from the exile, to gather together in Jerusalem. 8 Whoever would not come within three days would forfeit his assets and be separated from the community of the returning exiles, just as the high officials and elders had advised.
9 Less than three days later, all of the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered together on the twentieth day[e] of the ninth month. Everyone sat in the plaza of the Temple of God, trembling because of everything that was happening, and also because it was raining heavily. 10 Ezra the priest stood up and spoke to them, “You have sinned by marrying foreign wives, thereby increasing the transgressions of Israel. 11 Now confess this to the Lord God of your ancestors, and separate yourselves from the people who live in the land and from foreign wives.”
12 At this, the entire community responded with a loud cry, “We will do just as you’ve spoken! 13 However, many people are involved, and it’s raining heavily. Furthermore, this is not just a matter of a day or two of work, because many of us have sinned in this. 14 So let’s have our officials remain on behalf of the whole community. Then all who have married foreign wives are to come appear at specific times before[f] the elders and judges of each city until the fierce anger of our God has been turned away from us in this matter.”
15 Only Asahel’s son Jonathan and Tikvah’s son Jahzeiah opposed this, and they were supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the descendant of Levi.
The People Carry Out Their Promise
16 So those who had returned from exile did this. Ezra the priest and leaders of certain ancestral groups listed by name devoted themselves to examine the situation on the first day of the tenth month. 17 By the first day of the first month they concluded their investigation of all of the men who had married foreign wives.
Those who Married Foreign Women
18 Here is a list of priestly descendants who were found to have married foreign women. From Jeshua’s descendants:[g] Jozadak’s son and his brothers Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 Pleading guilty, they promised to divorce their wives. Then they offered a ram from their flocks for their offense.
20 From Immer’s descendants: Hanani and Zebadiah. 21 From Harim’s descendants: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 From Pashhur’s descendants: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23 From the descendants of Levi: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. 24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 From the Israelis: Parosh’s descendants: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah. 26 From Elam’s descendants: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. 27 From Zattu’s descendants: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. 28 From Bebai’s descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 From Bani’s descendants: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. 30 From Pahath-moab’s descendants: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. 31 From Harim’s descendants: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 From Hashum’s descendants: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 From Bani’s descendants: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Matanza, Maternai, Jas, 38 Bani, Binai, Shihezi, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 From Nebo’s descendants: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All of these had married foreign wives, and some of them had children by them.
Cornelius Has a Vision
10 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion[a] in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout man who feared God, as did everyone in his home. He gave many gifts to the poor among the people and always prayed to God.
3 One day, about three in the afternoon,[b] he had a vision and clearly saw an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 He stared at the angel[c] in terror and asked, “What is it, Lord?”
The angel[d] answered him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have arisen as a reminder[e] to God. 5 Send men now to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. 6 He is a guest of Simon, a leatherworker, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius[f] summoned two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of those who served him regularly. 8 He explained everything to them and sent them to Joppa.
Peter Has a Vision
9 Around noon[g] the next day, while they were on their way and coming close to the town, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became very hungry and wanted to eat, and while the food[h] was being prepared, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven open and something like a large linen sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the ground. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles, and birds of the air.
13 Then a voice told him,[i] “Get up, Peter! Kill something and eat it.”
14 But Peter said, “Absolutely not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean!”
15 Again the voice came to him a second time, “You must stop calling unclean what God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times. Then the sheet[j] was quickly taken back into heaven.
17 While Peter was still at a loss to know what the vision he had seen could mean, the men sent by Cornelius asked for Simon’s house and went to the gate. 18 They called out and asked if Simon who was called Peter was staying there. 19 Peter was still thinking about the vision when the Spirit told him, “Look! Three men are looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and don’t hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21 So Peter went to the men and said, “I’m the man you’re looking for. Why are you here?”
22 The men replied, “Cornelius, a centurion and an upright and God-fearing man who is respected by the whole Jewish nation, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his home to hear what you have to say.”
23 So Peter[k] welcomed them as his guests. The next day, he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along with him.
Peter Speaks with Cornelius
24 The next day, they arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called his relatives and close friends together. 25 When Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him, bowed down at his feet, and began to worship him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up! I, too, am only a man.”
27 As Peter[l] talked with him, he went in and found that many people had gathered. 28 He told them, “You understand how wrong it is for a Jew to associate or visit with unbelievers.[m] But God has shown me that I should stop calling anyone common or unclean, 29 and that is why I didn’t hesitate when I was sent for. Now may I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, three o’clock in the afternoon,[n] I was praying in my home. All at once a man in radiant clothes stood in front of me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard. God has remembered your gifts to the poor, 32 so send messengers[o] to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, to come to you. He is a guest in the home of Simon, a leatherworker, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. All of us are here now in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has ordered you to say.”
34 Then Peter began to speak: “Now I understand that God shows no partiality. 35 Indeed, whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him in any nation. 36 He has sent his word to the descendants of Israel and brought them the good news of peace through Jesus the Messiah.[p] This man is the Lord of everyone. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. 38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, he went around doing good and healing everyone who was oppressed by the Devil. 39 We are witnesses of everything Jesus[q] did in the land of the Jews, including Jerusalem.
“They hung him on a tree and killed him, 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear— 41 not to all the people, but to us who were chosen by God to be witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He also ordered us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that this is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify to this: everyone who believes in Jesus[r] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit
44 While Peter was still making this statement, the Holy Spirit fell on all the people who were listening to his message. 45 Then the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the gentiles, too, 46 because they heard them speaking in foreign languages[s] and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “No one can stop us from using water to baptize these people who have received the Holy Spirit in the same way that we did, can they?”[t] 48 So Peter[u] ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah.[v] Then they asked him to stay there for several days.
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