M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Sodom’s Depravity
19 The two angels entered Sodom at sunset while Lot was sitting in the gate area of the city.[a] When Lot saw them,[b] he got up, greeted them, bowed low with his face to the ground, 2 and said, “Look, my lords! Please come inside your servant’s house, wash your feet, and spend the night. Then you can get up early and be on your way.”
But they responded, “No, we would rather spend the night in the town square.”
3 But Lot[c] kept urging them strongly, so they turned aside and entered his house. He prepared a festival and baked unleavened flat bread for them, and they ate.
4 Before they could lie down, all the men of Sodom and its outskirts, both young and old, surrounded the house. 5 They called out to Lot and asked, “Where are the men who came to visit[d] you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with[e] them!”
6 Lot went outside to them, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “I urge you, my brothers, don’t do such a wicked thing. 8 Look here, I have two daughters who are virgins.[f] Let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them whatever you wish,[g] only don’t do anything to these men, because they’re here under my protection.”[h]
9 But they replied, “Get out of the way! This man came here as a foreigner, and now he’s acting like a judge! So we’re going to deal more harshly with you than with them.” Then they pushed hard against the man (that is, against Lot), intending to break down the door.
10 But the angels[i] inside reached out, dragged Lot back into the house with them, shut the door, 11 and blinded the men who were at the entrance of the house, from the least important to the greatest, so they were unable to find the doorway.
Lot Negotiates with the Angels
12 “Do you have anyone else here in the city?” the angels[j] asked Lot. “A son-in-law? Sons? Daughters? Get them out of this place, 13 because we’re going to destroy it. Their outcry has come to the attention of the Lord, so he[k] sent us here to destroy it!”
14 Lot then went out and told his sons-in-law (they had married his daughters), “Get out of here! The Lord is going to destroy this city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
15 As dawn was breaking, the angels pressured Lot. “Get going!” they told him. “Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be engulfed by the devastation that’s coming to this city.”
16 But Lot kept lingering in the city,[l] so the men[m] grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters (because of the Lord’s compassion for him!), brought them out of the city, and left them outside. 17 Then one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back or stop anywhere on the plain. Escape to the hills, or you’ll be swept away!”
18 “No! Please, my lords!” Lot pleaded with them. 19 “Your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me your gracious love in how you have dealt with me by keeping me alive. I cannot escape to the hills, because I’m afraid the disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. 20 Look, there is a town nearby where I can flee, and it’s a small one. Let me escape there! It’s a small one, isn’t it? That way I’ll stay alive!”
21 “All right,” the angel replied to Lot,[n] “I’ll agree with your request![o] I won’t overthrow the town that you mentioned. 22 Hurry up and flee there, because I cannot do anything until you get to that town.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar.[p]
Lot’s Wife Becomes a Pillar of Salt
23 The sun had risen over the land about the time Lot reached Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained sulfur and fire out of the sky from the Lord on Sodom and Gomorrah, 25 overthrowing those cities, all of the plain, and everyone who lived in the cities. He also destroyed the plants that grew out of the ground. 26 But Lot’s[q] wife looked back as she lingered behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord earlier. 28 He looked off toward Sodom, Gomorrah, and the entire[r] plain, and he saw smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace. 29 And so it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham and brought Lot out from the midst of the destruction when he overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.
The Origin of Moab and Ammon
30 Later on, Lot and his two daughters abandoned Zoar and settled in the hills because Lot was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived there in a cave, along with his two daughters. 31 One day the firstborn told the younger one, “Our father is old, and there’s no man in the land to have sex with us,[s] as everybody else throughout all the earth does. 32 Come on! Let’s make our father drink wine, and then we’ll have sex with him so we can preserve our father’s lineage.”
33 So they had their father drink wine that night, and the older one had sexual relations with her father, but he was not aware when she lay down or when she got up. 34 The next day the firstborn told the younger one, “Look! I had sex with my father last night. Let’s make him drink wine tonight again as well. Then you have sex with him, too. That way we’ll preserve our father’s lineage.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night as well, so he was not aware when she lay down or when she got up.
36 That’s how both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn gave birth to a son and named him Moab,[t] and he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-ammi,[u] and he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.
True Greatness(A)
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom from[a] heaven?”
2 Calling a little child forward, he had him stand among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell all of you[b] with certainty, unless you change[c] and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom from[d] heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom from[e] heaven, 5 and whoever receives a little child like this in my name receives me.”
Causing Others to Sin(B)
6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a large millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned at the bottom of the sea. 7 How terrible it will be for the world due to its temptations to sin! Temptations to sin are bound to happen, but how terrible it will be for that person who causes someone to sin!
8 “So if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life injured or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell[f] fire.
10 “See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man came to save the lost.”[g]
The Parable about the Faithful Shepherd(C)
12 “What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays, he leaves the 99 in the hills and goes to look for the one that has strayed, doesn’t he? 13 If he finds it, I tell all of you[h] with certainty that he rejoices over it more than over the 99 that haven’t strayed. 14 In the same way, it is not the will of your[i] Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”
Dealing with a Brother who Sins(D)
15 “If your brother sins against you,[j] go and confront him while the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. 16 But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two others with you so that ‘every word may be confirmed by the testimony[k] of two or three witnesses.’[l] 17 If, however, he ignores them, tell it to the congregation.[m] If he also ignores the congregation,[n] regard him as an unbeliever[o] and a tax collector.
18 “I tell all of you[p] with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited[q] in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted[r] in heaven. 19 Furthermore, I tell all of you[s] with certainty that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, 20 because where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.”
The Parable about an Unforgiving Servant
21 Then Peter came up and asked him, “Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?”
22 Jesus told him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times![t] 23 “That is why the kingdom from[u] heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents[v] was brought to him. 25 Because he couldn’t pay, his master ordered him, his wife, his children, and everything that he owned to be sold so that payment could be made. 26 Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, ‘Be patient[w] with me, and I will repay you everything!’ 27 The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt.
28 “But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[x] He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you!’ 30 But he refused and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.
31 “When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master everything that had occurred. 32 Then his master sent for him and told him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers until he could repay the entire debt. 35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts.”
8 1 All the people gathered as a united body[a] into the plaza in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Law before the assembled people. Both men and women were in attendance, as well as[b] all[c] who could understand what they were hearing.
3 Ezra[d] read from it, facing the plaza in front of the Water Gate, from early in the morning until mid-day in the presence of the men and women, as well as all who could understand. All the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden rostrum erected for that purpose. Beside him to his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maasseiah. Beside him to his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people. Because he was visible[e] above all the people there, as he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with uplifted hands, all the people responded, “Amen! Amen!” They bowed down and worshipped the Lord prostrate on the ground.
7 Furthermore, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the descendants of Levi taught the Law to the people while the people remained standing. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, distinctly communicating its meaning, so they could understand the reading.
A Declaration to Rejoice
9 Because all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Law, Nehemiah the governor,[f] Ezra the priest and scribe, and the descendants of Levi who taught the people told everyone, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” 10 He also told them, “Go eat the best food, drink the best wine,[g] and give something to those who have nothing, since this day is holy to our Lord. Don’t be sorrowful, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 The descendants of Levi also calmed all the people by saying, “Be still, for the day is holy. Don’t be sorrowful!”
12 So all the people went to eat, to drink, to send something to those who had nothing,[h] and to celebrate with great joy, because they understood the words that were being declared to them.
The Festival of Tents is Reinstituted(A)
13 The next day, the heads of the families of all the people were gathered together, along with the priests and the descendants of Levi, to meet with[i] Ezra the scribe in order to understand the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law that the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelis were to live in tents[j] during the festival scheduled for the seventh month. 15 So they circulated a proclamation throughout their towns and in Jerusalem. It said, “Go out to the hill country and bring back olive branches, wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of mature trees, in order to set up tents, as has been written.”
16 Then the people went out and found branches to make tents for themselves on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, and in the courts of God’s Temple, in the plaza near the Water Gate, and in the plaza near the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from exile erected tents and lived in them. Indeed, from the days of Nun’s son Joshua until that day the Israelis had not done so. Joy was everywhere,[k] 18 and Ezra[l] continued to read from the Book of the Law of God day by day, from the first day through the last. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly according to regulation.
Paul in Corinth
18 After this, Paul[a] left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul[b] went to visit them, 3 and because they had the same trade he stayed with them. They worked together because they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every Sabbath, he would speak in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. 5 But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to the word[c] as he emphatically assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.[d] 6 But when they began to oppose him and insult him, he shook out his clothes in protest and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles.”
7 Then he left that place and went to the home of a man named Titius[e] Justus, who worshipped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Now Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, along with his whole family. Many Corinthians who heard Paul also believed and were baptized.
9 One night, the Lord told Paul in a vision, “Stop being afraid to speak out! Don’t remain silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you or harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul[f] lived there for a year and a half and continued to teach the word of God among the people there.[g]
12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jewish leaders[h] gathered together, attacked Paul, and brought him before the judge’s seat. 13 They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the Law.”
14 Paul was about to speak when Gallio admonished the Jewish leaders,[i] “If there were some misdemeanor or crime involved, it would be reasonable to put up with you Jews. 15 But since it is a question about words, names, and your own Law, you will have to take care of that yourselves. I refuse to be a judge in these matters.” 16 So he drove them away from the judge’s seat. 17 Then all of them[j] took Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and began beating him in front of the judge’s seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
Paul’s Return Trip to Antioch
18 After staying there for quite a while longer, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut in Cenchrea, since he was under a vow. 19 When they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila[k] there. Then he went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he refused. 21 As he told them goodbye, he said, “I will come back[l] to you again if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he arrived in Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem,[m] greeted the church there, and then returned to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Apollos Preaches in Ephesus
24 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the Lord’s way, and with spiritual fervor he kept speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only about John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained God’s way to him more accurately. 27 When Apollos[n] wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples there, urging them to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who, through God’s[o] grace, had believed. 28 He successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.[p]
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