M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Pharaoh’s Two Servants
40 Some time later, both the senior security advisor[a] to the king of Egypt and his head chef[b] offended their master, Egypt’s king. 2 Pharaoh was so angry with his two officers—his senior security advisor and his head chef— 3 that he locked them up in the prison dungeon operated by the captain of the guard, the very place where Joseph was imprisoned. 4 The captain of the guard entrusted them to Joseph’s custody, who took care of them, since they were to remain there in custody for a number of days.
5 Then the two of them each had a dream. They both had their dreams the same night, and there were separate interpretations for each dream—the senior security advisor and the head chef to the king of Egypt, who had confined them in prison. 6 When Joseph came to see them in the morning, he noticed how downcast they looked! They were both very sad. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers, who were with him in prison in his master’s house, “Why are you so sad today?”
8 “We had a dream,” they replied, “but there’s no one to interpret it.”
“Interpretations belong to God,” Joseph told them, “so please tell me your stories.”
The Security Advisor’s Dream
9 So the senior security advisor related his dream to Joseph. “In my dream,” he said, “all of a sudden there was a vine in front of me! 10 On the vine were three branches that budded. Blossoms shot out, and clusters grew up that produced ripe grapes. 11 Then, with Pharaoh’s cup in my hand, I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, then handed the cup directly to Pharaoh.”
12 Then Joseph told him, “This is what your dream means:[c] The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days, Pharaoh will encourage you[d] and return you to your responsibilities. You’ll attend to Pharaoh’s personal wine cup, just as you did when you were his senior security advisor. 14 But keep me in mind when things go well for you. Be sure to extend kindness to me by remembering me to Pharaoh. Bring me out of this prison,[e] 15 because I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews. Not only that, I haven’t done anything that deserves me being confined to this pit.”
The Head Chef’s Dream
16 When the head chef heard that the interpretation was good, he told Joseph, “I was also in my dream. All of a sudden, there were three baskets with white bread stacked on top of my head. 17 There was all kinds of food in the basket that was on top, including baked food for Pharaoh. The birds were eating them from the basket on my head.”
18 Joseph replied, “This is what your dream means:[f] The three baskets are also three days. 19 Within three more days, Pharaoh will behead you and hang you on gallows,[g] where birds will eat your flesh from you.”
The Dreams are Fulfilled
20 On the third day, which just happened to be Pharaoh’s birthday, he threw a party for all his servants. He lifted the head of both his senior security advisor and of his head chef in front of his servants— 21 that is, he restored his senior security advisor to his former responsibilities, including attending to Pharaoh’s personal wine cup, 22 but he beheaded and[h] hanged the head chef, just as Joseph had interpreted for them. 23 Despite all of this, the senior security advisor not only didn’t remember Joseph, he deliberately forgot him.
Teaching about Divorce(A)
10 Then Jesus[a] left that place and went into the territory of Judea on the other side[b] of the Jordan. Crowds gathered around him as usual, and he began to teach them again as was his custom. 2 Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 “What did Moses command you?” he responded.
4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to divorce her.”[c]
5 But Jesus told them, “It was because of your hardness of heart that he wrote this command for you. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God[d] made them male and female.’[e] 7 That’s why ‘a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’[f] So they’re no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate.”
10 Back in the house, the disciples asked him about this again. 11 So he told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman[g] divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Jesus Blesses the Little Children(B)
13 Some people[h] were bringing little children to Jesus[i] to have him touch them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought[j] them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he became furious and told them, “Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these. 15 I tell all of you[k] with certainty, whoever doesn’t receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” 16 Then after he had hugged the children,[l] he tenderly blessed them as he laid his hands on them.
A Rich Man Comes to Jesus(C)
17 As Jesus[m] was setting out again,[n] a man ran up to him, knelt down in front of him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Nobody is good except for one—God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Never murder.’[o] ‘Never commit adultery.’[p] ‘Never steal.’[q] ‘Never give false testimony.’[r] ‘Never cheat.’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’”[s]
20 The man[t] replied to him, “Teacher, I have obeyed all of these since I was a young man.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. Then he told him, “You’re missing one thing. Go and sell everything you own, give the money[u] to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me.” 22 Shocked at this statement, the man[v] went away sad, because he had many possessions.
Salvation and Reward(D)
23 Then Jesus looked around and told his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were startled by these words, but Jesus told them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in their wealth[w] to get into the kingdom of God! 25 It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples[x] were utterly amazed and asked one another,[y] “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “For humans it’s impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
28 Then Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “I tell all of you[z] with certainty, there is no one who has left his home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or fields because of me and the gospel 30 who will not receive a hundred times as much here in this world—homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, along with persecution—as well as eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
32 Now Jesus and his disciples[aa] had been on the road going up to Jerusalem, with Jesus walking ahead of them. They were astonished, and the others who followed were afraid.
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Third Time(E)
Once again, Jesus[ab] took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to him. 33 “Pay attention! We’re going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the high priests and the scribes, and they’ll condemn him to death. Then they’ll hand him over to the unbelievers,[ac] 34 and they’ll make fun of him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. But after three days he’ll be raised.”
The Request of James and John(F)
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, went to Jesus[ad] and told him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you.”
36 He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
37 They asked him, “Let us sit in your glory, one on your right and one on your left.”
38 But Jesus told them, “You don’t realize what you’re asking. Can you drink from the cup that I’m going to drink from or be baptized with the baptism with which I’m going to be baptized?”
39 They told him, “We can.”
Jesus told them, “You will drink from the cup that I’m going to drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I’m going to be baptized. 40 But it’s not up to me to grant you a seat at my right or my left. Those positions have already been prepared for others.”
41 When the ten other disciples[ae] heard this, they began to be furious with James and John. 42 Jesus called his disciples[af] and told them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers among the unbelievers[ag] lord it over them, and their superiors act like tyrants over them. 43 That’s not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to everyone, 45 because even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”
Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus(G)
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus,[ah] his disciples, and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus) was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many people sternly told him to be quiet, but he started shouting even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stopped and said, “Call him!”
So they called the blind man and told him, “Have courage! Get up. He’s calling you.” 50 He threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus.
51 Then Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man told him, “Rabbouni,[ai] I want to see again.”
52 Jesus told him, “Go. Your faith has made you well.” At once the man[aj] could see again, and he began to follow Jesus[ak] down the road.
Job’s Suffering is Grave
6 In rebuttal, Job replied:
2 “If only my grief could be weighed;
or my calamity piled together on a balance scale!
3 It would weigh more than the sand on the seashore![a]
Here’s why I’ve talked so rashly:
4 “The arrows of the Almighty have pierced me;
my spirit absorbs[b] their poison;[c]
God’s terrors have been arranged just for me!
5 “Will the wild donkey bray from hunger[d] if fresh grass is beside him?
Will the ox low from distress[e] if it is near its feed?
6 Tasteless food isn’t eaten without salt, is it?
Is there any taste in an egg white?
7 I cannot bring myself to touch them;[f]
food like this makes me sick.”
Job Desires Death
8 “Who will grant my wish?[g]
I wish God would grant what I’m hoping for:
9 that God would just be willing[h] to crush me;
that he would let loose[i] and eliminate me!
10 At least I could still take comfort
and rejoice in unceasing anguish,
for I didn’t conceal what the Holy One has to say.
11 “Do I have the strength to wait?
And why[j] should I be patient?
12 Am I as strong as a rock?
Am I some kind of iron man?[k]
13 There is no help within me, is there?
My resources have been driven away from me, haven’t they?
Job Accuses His Friends of Treachery
14 The friend shows gracious love for his friend,
even if he has forsaken the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brothers have acted treacherously like a cascading river,
like torrential rivers that overflow.
16 Filled with waters made cold[l] by ice,
they are where the snow goes to hide.
17 But then the snow melts, and they disappear;
when warmed, they evaporate from their stream beds.[m]
18 Travelers divert[n] in their route;
they go into a wasteland and die.
19 Travelers from Tema search intently;
caravans from Sheba hope to find them.
20 For all their expectations, they are doomed to disappointment;
even though they have come and searched this far.
21 “And now you’re all just like them, aren’t you?[o]
You see my terror and are terrified.
22 When did I ever ask you for anything,
say ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth?’
23 or say ‘Deliver me from my enemy’s control,’[p]
or ‘Redeem me from the domination[q] of ruthless people’?”
Job Requests Mercy from His Friends
24 “Instruct me, and I’ll remain silent.
Help me understand where I’ve gone astray.
25 The truth[r] can be painful,
but what has your argument proven?
26 Did you intend your words to reprove,
even though the speech of a desperate person is just wind?
27 Indeed, you would gamble to buy an orphan;
and barter to buy your friend!
28 Now be willing to face me,
and I won’t lie to your face.
29 Repent! Let there be no injustice;
Change your ways![s] My vindication[t] is at stake.
30 Have I said anything that’s unjust?
I can discern[u] evil, can’t I?”
The Person who Believes will be Saved
10 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God about the Jews[a] is that they would be saved. 2 For I can testify on their behalf that they have a zeal for God, but it is not in keeping with full knowledge. 3 For they are ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God while they try to establish their own, and they have not submitted to God’s means to attain[b] righteousness. 4 For the Messiah[c] is the culmination[d] of the Law as far as righteousness is concerned for everyone who believes.
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from the Law as follows: “The person who obeys these things will find life by them.”[e] 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (that is, to bring the Messiah[f] down), 7 or ‘Who will go down into the depths?’ (that is, to bring the Messiah[g] back from the dead).”
8 But what does it say? “The message is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart.”[h] This is the message about faith that we are proclaiming: 9 If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with his heart and is justified, and declares with his mouth and is saved. 11 The Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will never be ashamed.”[i] 12 There is no difference between Jew and Greek, because they all have the same Lord, who gives richly to all who call on him. 13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord[j] will be saved.”[k]
14 How, then, can people[l] call on someone they have not believed? And how can they believe in someone they have not heard about? And how can they hear without someone preaching? 15 And how can people[m] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are[n] those who bring the good news!”[o] 16 But not everyone has obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah asks, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[p] 17 Consequently, faith results from listening, and listening results through the word of the Messiah.[q]
18 But I ask, “Didn’t they hear?” Certainly they did! In fact,
“Their voice has gone out into the whole world,
and their words to the ends of the earth.”[r]
19 Again I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” Moses was the first to say,
“I will make you jealous
by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry
by a nation that doesn’t understand.”[s]
20 And Isaiah boldly says,
“I was found by those who were not looking for me;
I was revealed to those who were not asking for me.”[t]
21 But about Israel he says,
“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and rebellious people.”[u]
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