M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joseph Sets a Trap
44 Then Joseph gave a command to the ·servant in charge of [L one over] his house. He said, “Fill the men’s sacks with as much ·grain [L food] as they can carry, and put each man’s ·money [silver] into his sack with the grain. 2 Put my silver ·cup [goblet] in the sack of the ·youngest [smallest] brother, along with his ·money [silver] for the grain.” ·The servant [L He] did what Joseph told him.
3 At dawn the ·brothers [L men] were sent away with their donkeys. 4 They were not far from the city when Joseph said to the ·servant in charge of [L one over] his house, “·Go after [L Get up and pursue] the men. When you catch up with them, say, ‘Why have you paid back evil for good? 5 ·The cup you have stolen is the one [L Is this not what…?] my ·master [lord] uses for drinking and for ·explaining dreams [divination; C perhaps by pouring oil in water as a means of telling the future (called lecanomancy)]. ·You [L Is not what you…?] have done a very wicked thing!’ ”
6 So ·the servant [L he] caught up with ·the brothers [L them] and said to them ·what Joseph had told him to say [L these words].
7 But the brothers said to the servant, “Why do ·you [my master/lord] say these things? ·We would not [L Far be it from your servants to] do anything like that! 8 We brought back to you from the land of Canaan the ·money [silver] we found in our sacks. ·So surely we would not [L Why would we…?] steal silver or gold from your ·master’s [lord’s] house. 9 If ·you find that silver cup in the sack of one of [L it is found with one of] us, then let him die, and we will be your ·slaves [servants].”
10 ·The servant [L He] said, “·We will do [It will be] as you say, but only the man who has taken the cup will become my ·slave [servant]. The rest of you ·may go free [will be innocent].”
11 Then every brother quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened ·it [L their sack]. 12 ·The servant [L He] searched the sacks, ·going from [starting with] the oldest brother to [L and ending with] the ·youngest [smallest], and found the ·cup [goblet] in Benjamin’s sack. 13 The brothers tore their clothes [C a sign of mourning; they were afraid for Benjamin’s life]. Then they ·put their sacks back on [L loaded] the donkeys and returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers ·went back to [arrived at] Joseph’s house, Joseph was still there, so ·the brothers bowed facedown [L they fell] on the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What have you done? Didn’t you know that a man like me can ·learn things by signs and dreams [L practice divination]?”
16 Judah said, “·Master [My lord], what can we say? What can we tell you? And how can we ·show we are not guilty [justify ourselves]? God has ·uncovered [L found out] our guilt, so all of us will be ·your slaves [L slaves/servants of my master/lord], not just ·Benjamin [L the one in whose hand the cup/goblet was found].”
17 But Joseph said, “·I will not make you all slaves [L Far be it from me that I should do that]! Only the man ·who stole the cup [L in whose hand the cup/goblet was found] will be my ·slave [servant]. The rest of you may go back ·safely [or in peace] to your father.”
18 Then Judah ·went to Joseph [L approached him] and said, “·Master [My lord], please let ·me [L your servant] speak ·plainly to you [L a word in your ears], and please don’t be angry with ·me [L your servant]. ·I know that you are as powerful as the king of Egypt [L You are like Pharaoh] himself. 19 ·When we were here before, you asked us [L My master/lord asked his servants], ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 And we answered ·you [L my master/lord], ‘We have an old father. And we have a younger brother, ·who was born when our father was old [L of his old age]. ·This youngest son’s [L His] brother is dead, so he is the only one of his mother’s children left alive, and ·our [L his] father loves him very much.’ 21 Then you said to ·us [L your servants], ‘Bring ·that brother [L him] to me. I want to ·see [L set my eyes on] him.’ 22 And we said to ·you [L my master/lord], ‘That young boy cannot leave his father, because if he leaves him, his father would die.’ 23 But you said to ·us [your servants], ‘If you don’t bring your youngest brother [L with you], you will not be allowed to see ·me [L my face] again.’ 24 So we went back to [L your servant] our father and told him ·what you had said [L the words of my master/lord].
25 “Later, our father said, ‘·Go again [Return] and buy us a little more food.’ 26 We said to our father, ‘We cannot go without our ·youngest [smallest] brother. Without our ·youngest [smallest] brother, we will not be allowed to see the ·governor [L face of the man].’ 27 Then [L your servant] my father said to us, ‘You know that my ·wife Rachel gave [L wife bore] me two sons. 28 When one son left me, I thought, “Surely he has been torn apart by a wild animal,” and I haven’t seen him since. 29 Now you want to take this son away from ·me [L my face/presence] also. But something ·terrible [tragic; disastrous] might happen to him, and ·I would be miserable until the day I die [L you would bring my gray head down to Sheol in sorrow].’ 30 Now what will happen if we go home to [L your servant] our father without our ·youngest [smallest] brother? ·He is so important in our father’s life [L And his life/soul is so bound up in his life/soul] that 31 when our father sees the young boy is not with us, he will die. ·And it will be our fault. We will cause the great sorrow that kills our father [L Your servants will have brought the gray head of your servant to Sheol in grief].
32 “·I gave my father a guarantee that the young boy would be safe [L For your servant provided surety for the young boy for his father]. I said to my father, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, ·you can blame me [L I will be condemned before my father] all my life.’ 33 So now, please allow ·me [L your servant] to stay here and be your ·slave [L servant in place of the young boy], and let the young boy go back home with his brothers. 34 I cannot go back to my father if the boy is not with me. I couldn’t stand to see my father ·that sad [suffer].”
The Plan to Kill Jesus(A)
14 It was now only two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread [C the annual festival that celebrates God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt; Ex. 12]. The ·leading [T chief] priests and ·teachers of the law [scribes] were trying to find a ·trick [secret way] to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2 But they said, “We must not do it during the feast, because the people might cause a riot.”
A Woman with Perfume for Jesus(B)
3 Jesus was in Bethany at the house of ·Simon, who had a skin disease [L Simon the leper; C for leprosy, see 1:40; Simon may have been healed by Jesus]. While Jesus was ·eating there [L reclining; C the posture for a banquet or dinner party; 2:15], a woman approached him with an alabaster ·jar [vial] filled with very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She ·opened [broke open] the ·jar [vial] and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.
4 Some who were there became ·upset [indignant] and said to each other, “Why waste that perfume? 5 It was worth ·a full year’s work [L over three hundred denarii]. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor.” And they ·got very angry with [harshly scolded] the woman.
6 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you ·troubling [bothering; criticizing] her? She did an ·excellent thing [beautiful/good deed] for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you, and you can help them anytime you want [Deut. 15:11]. But you will not always have me. 8 This woman did the only thing she could do for me; she ·poured perfume on [anointed] my body to prepare me for burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the ·Good News [Gospel] is preached in all the world, what this woman has done will be told, and people will remember her.”
Judas Betrays Jesus(C)
10 One of ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve], Judas Iscariot, went to talk to the ·leading [T chief] priests to offer to ·hand Jesus over [betray him] to them. 11 These priests were pleased about this and promised to pay Judas money. So he watched for ·the best time [an opportunity] to ·turn Jesus in [betray him].
Jesus Eats the Passover Meal(D)
12 It was now the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb was sacrificed. Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
13 Jesus sent two of his ·followers [disciples] and said to them, “Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 When he goes into a house, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says: “Where is my guest room in which I can eat the Passover meal with my ·followers [disciples]?”’ 15 The owner will show you a large ·room upstairs [T upper room] that is furnished and ready. ·Prepare the food [Make preparations] for us there.”
16 So the ·followers [disciples] left and went into the city. Everything happened as Jesus had said, so they prepared the Passover meal.
17 In the evening, Jesus went to that house with the twelve. 18 While they were all ·eating [L reclining and eating; see v. 3], Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will ·turn against [betray] me—one of you eating with me now.”
19 The ·followers [disciples] were very ·sad [distressed; pained] to hear this. Each one began to say to Jesus, “·I am not the one, am I [Surely not I; or Is it I]?”
20 Jesus answered, “It is one of the twelve—one who dips his bread into the bowl with me [C probably not a signal, but means “one who shares close fellowship with me”]. 21 The Son of Man will ·die [go to his fate; L go], just as the Scriptures say. But ·how terrible it will be for [L woe to] the person ·who hands the Son of Man over to be killed [L by whom the Son of Man is betrayed]. It would be better for him if he had never been born.”
The Lord’s Supper(E)
22 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread and ·thanked God for [blessed] it and broke it. Then he gave it to his ·followers [disciples] and said, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then Jesus took a cup and ·thanked God for it [gave thanks] and gave it to ·the followers [the disciples; them], and they all drank from the cup.
24 Then Jesus said, “This is my blood ·which is the new[a] agreement that God makes with his people [or which confirms/establishes the new covenant; L of the new covenant; Ex. 24:8. Jer. 31:31–34]. This blood is poured out for many [Is. 53:12]. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine [C wine] again until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 After singing a hymn [C probably the Hallel psalms (Ps. 113—118), sung during the Passover meal], they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus’ Followers Will Leave Him(F)
27 Then Jesus told them, “You will all ·stumble in your faith [fall away; desert me], because it is written in the Scriptures:
‘I will ·kill [strike] the shepherd,
and the sheep will ·scatter [be scattered]’ [Zech. 13:7].
28 But after ·I rise from the dead [L I am raised], I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
29 Peter said, “Everyone else may ·stumble in their faith [fall away; desert you], but I will not.”
30 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, tonight before the rooster crows twice you will ·say three times you don’t know me [deny/disown me three times].”
31 But Peter insisted, “Even if I must die with you, I will never ·say that I don’t know [deny/disown] you!” And all the others said the same thing.
Jesus Prays Alone(G)
32 Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] went to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be very ·sad [distressed] and ·troubled [anguished]. 34 He said to them, “My ·heart [soul] is ·full of sorrow [overwhelmed with grief], to the point of death. Stay here and ·watch [stay awake; be alert].”
35 After walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell [with his face] to the ground and prayed that, if possible, ·he would not have this time of suffering [L the hour might pass him by]. 36 He prayed, “Abba [C Aramaic for “father”], Father! You can do all things. ·Take away this cup of suffering [L Take this cup from me; C suffering is metaphorically portrayed as something bitter to drink; see 10:38]. But do ·what you want [your will], not ·what I want [my will].”
37 Then Jesus went back to his ·followers [disciples] and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you ·stay awake [watch] with me for one hour? 38 ·Stay awake [Keep watch] and pray for strength ·against temptation [or not to fail the test]. The spirit ·wants to do what is right [is willing], but ·the body [human nature; T the flesh] is weak.”
39 Again Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. 40 Then he went back to his ·followers [disciples], and again he found them asleep, because their eyes were very heavy. And they did not know what to say to him.
41 After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his ·followers [disciples] and said to them, “·Are you still sleeping and resting? [or Go ahead, sleep and have your rest!] ·That’s enough [It’s all over; The account is settled; C the meaning of this phrase is uncertain]. The time has come for the Son of Man to be ·handed over to [L betrayed/delivered into the hands of] sinful people. 42 Get up, we must go. Look, here comes ·the man who has turned against me [my betrayer].”
Jesus Is Arrested(H)
43 At once, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of ·the twelve apostles [the Twelve], came up. With him were many people carrying swords and clubs who had been sent from the ·leading [T chief] priests, the ·teachers of the law [scribes], and the Jewish elders.
44 ·Judas [L The betrayer] had planned a signal for them, saying, “The man I kiss is Jesus. ·Arrest [Seize] him and guard him while you lead him away.” 45 So Judas went straight to Jesus and said, “·Teacher [L Rabbi]!” and kissed him. 46 Then the people grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 One of ·his followers [L those] standing nearby pulled out his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48 Then Jesus said, “You came to get me with swords and clubs as if I were a ·criminal [revolutionary; rebel; L robber; C the term “robber” was used by the Romans of insurrectionists]. 49 Every day I was with you teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me there. But all these things have happened to ·make the Scriptures come true [fulfill the Scriptures].” 50 Then ·all of Jesus’ followers [L everyone] ·left [deserted] him and ·ran away [fled].
51 A young man [C perhaps the author Mark himself], wearing only a linen ·cloth [sheet; shirt], was following Jesus, and the people also grabbed him. 52 But the cloth [sheet; shirt] he was wearing came off, and he ran away naked.
Jesus Before the Leaders(I)
53 The people who arrested Jesus led him to the house of the high priest, where all the ·leading [T chief] priests, the elders, and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] were gathered. 54 Peter followed far behind and entered the courtyard of the high priest’s house. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.
55 The ·leading [T chief] priests and the whole ·Jewish council [Sanhedrin; C the highest Jewish court] tried to find ·something that Jesus had done wrong [evidence/testimony against him] so they could ·kill [execute] him. But the council could find no proof of anything. 56 Many people came and ·told false things [gave false testimony] about him, but all said different things—none of them agreed.
57 Then some people stood up and ·lied [gave false testimony] about Jesus, saying, 58 “We heard this man say, ‘I will destroy this Temple that people made. And three days later, I will build another Temple not made by people.’” 59 But even ·the things these people said [their testimony] did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood before them and asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? ·Don’t you have something to say about their [or What are these] ·charges [testimony] against you?” 61 But Jesus ·said nothing [was silent; Is. 53:7]; he did not answer.
The high priest asked Jesus another question: “Are you the ·Christ [Messiah], the Son of ·the blessed God [L the blessed (one)]?”
62 Jesus answered, “I am. And ·in the future you will see [L you will see] the Son of Man sitting at the right ·side [L hand; see 12:36] of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds ·in the sky [of heaven; Ps. 110:1; Dan. 7:13–14].”
63 When the high priest heard this, he tore his clothes [C a sign of sorrow or outrage] and said, “Why do we need more witnesses? 64 You all heard ·him say these things against God [the blasphemy]. What ·do you think [is your verdict]?”
They all said that Jesus was guilty and ·should [deserved to] die. 65 Some of the people there began to spit at Jesus. They blindfolded him and beat him with their fists and said, “·Prophesy! [Prove you are a prophet!]” Then the guards led Jesus away and beat him.
Peter Denies Jesus(J)
66 While Peter was in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came there. 67 She saw Peter warming himself at the fire and looked closely at him.
Then she said, “You also were with Jesus, that man from Nazareth.”
68 But Peter denied it. He said, “I don’t know or understand what you are talking about.” Then Peter left and went toward the entrance of the courtyard. And the rooster crowed.[b]
69 The servant girl saw Peter there, and again she said to the people who were standing nearby, “This man is one of those who followed Jesus.” 70 Again Peter ·said that it was not true [denied it].
A short time later, some people were standing near Peter saying, “Surely you are one of those who followed Jesus, because you are from Galilee, too [C Peter’s Galilean accent gave him away; Matt. 26:73].”
71 Then Peter began to place a curse on himself and swear, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”
72 At once, the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will ·say three times that you don’t know me [deny/disown me three times].” Then Peter broke down and began to cry.
10 “I ·hate [am disgusted with] my life,
so I will ·complain without holding back [L abandon myself to my sighs];
I will speak ·because I am so unhappy [L in my bitterness].
2 I will say to God: Do not ·hold [declare] me guilty,
but tell me ·what you have against [why you accuse] me.
3 ·Does it make you happy [or Is it right for you] to ·trouble [oppress] me?
·Don’t you care about [L Must you despise] me, the work of your hands?
·Are you happy with [or Do you favor] the plans of evil people?
4 Do you have ·human eyes [L eyes of flesh]
that see ·as we see [L with human vision]?
5 Are your days like the days of humans,
and your years like our years?
6 [L For] You ·look for the evil I have done [L investigate my transgression]
and search for my sin.
7 You know I am not guilty,
but no one can ·save [rescue] me from your ·power [L hand].
8 “Your hands shaped and made me.
Do you now turn around and ·destroy [L swallow] me?
9 Remember that you molded me like a piece of clay.
Will you now turn me back into dust [Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7]?
10 ·You formed me inside my mother
like cheese formed from milk [L Do you not pour me out like milk, curdle me like cheese?].
11 You dressed me with skin and flesh;
you ·sewed [knit] me together with bones and ·muscles [sinews].
12 You gave me life and showed me ·kindness [loyalty],
and in your care you ·watched over my life [L set a watch over me].
13 “But in your heart you hid ·other plans [L these things].
I know this was in your mind.
14 If I sinned, you would watch me
and would not ·let my sin go unpunished [L declare me innocent of my transgression].
15 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] me if I am guilty!
Even if I am ·right [righteous], I cannot lift my head.
I am full of shame
and ·experience [L look on] only ·pain [affliction].
16 ·If I hold up my head, you hunt me like a lion [or Proud like a lion you hunt me]
and again show your terrible power against me.
17 You bring new witnesses against me
and increase your anger against me.
Your armies come against me.
18 “So why did you ·allow me to be born [L bring me out of the womb]?
·I wish I had died [L Why did I not die…?] before ·anyone [L any eye] saw me.
19 I wish I had never lived,
but had been carried straight from ·birth [L womb] to the grave.
20 The few days of my life are almost over.
Leave me alone so I can have a moment of joy [Eccl. 2:24–26; 3:12–14, 22; 8:15; 5:19–20; 9:7–10].
21 Soon I will leave; I will not return
from the land of darkness and gloom,
22 the land of ·darkest night [or dimness and blackness],
from the land of gloom and ·confusion [chaos],
where even the light is darkness.”
Do Not Criticize Other People
14 ·Accept into your group [L Welcome; Receive] someone who is weak in ·faith [or convictions; C on debatable issues], and do not argue about ·opinions [doubtful/debatable issues]. 2 One person believes it is right to eat all kinds of food. But another, who is weak, believes it is right to eat only vegetables [C possibly the issue of whether to keep the OT dietary laws, and/or whether to avoid food sacrificed to idols (see 1 Cor. 8—10)]. 3 The one who ·knows that it is right to eat any kind of food [L eats; v. 14; see Mark 7:18–19] must not ·reject [despise; look down on] the one who ·eats only vegetables [L does not eat]. And the person who ·eats only vegetables [L does not eat] must not ·think that the one who eats all foods is wrong [L judge the one who eats], because God has accepted that person. 4 ·You cannot [L Who are you to…?] judge another person’s servant. ·The master decides if the servant is doing well or not [L Before his own lord/master he stands or falls]. And the Lord’s servant will ·do well [stand] because the Lord ·helps him do well [L can make him stand].
5 Some ·think [decide; judge] that one day is more ·important [sacred; holy] than another, and others think that every day is the same [C the issue is whether to observe the Jewish Sabbath]. Let all be ·sure [fully convinced] ·in their own mind [according to their convictions/conscience]. 6 Those who ·think one day is more important than other days [L observe the day] are doing that for the Lord. And those who ·eat all kinds of food [L eat] are doing that for the Lord, ·and [since; for] they give thanks to God. Others who ·refuse to eat some foods [L do not eat] do that for the Lord, and they give thanks to God. 7 [L For] We do not live for ourselves, and we do not die for ourselves. 8 If we live, we are living for the Lord, and if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord.
9 The reason Christ died and ·rose from the dead to live again [L lived] was so he would be Lord over both the dead and the living. 10 So why do you judge your brothers or sisters in Christ? And why do you ·think you are better than they are [L despise/look down on your brother or sister]? [L For] We will all stand before ·God to be judged [the judgment seat of God], 11 because it is written in the Scriptures:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘·Everyone [L Every knee] will bow before me;
·everyone [L every tongue] will ·say that I am [confess; acknowledge; or praise] God [Is. 45:23].’”
12 So each of us will ·have to answer [give an account of ourselves] to God.
Do Not Cause Others to Sin
13 For that reason ·we should [or let us] stop judging each other. We must make up our minds not to ·do anything that will make another Christian sin [L place a stumbling block or obstacle before a brother or sister]. 14 ·I am in the Lord Jesus, and I know [L I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus] that there is ·no food that is wrong to eat [L nothing impure/unclean/defiling in itself]. But if a person ·believes [considers; regards] something is ·wrong [impure; unclean; defiling], that thing is ·wrong [impure; unclean; defiling] for him. 15 If ·you hurt your brother’s or sister’s faith [your brother or sister is distressed/grieved] because of something you eat, you are ·not really following the way of [L no longer walking/living in] love. ·Do not destroy someone’s faith by eating food he thinks is wrong, because Christ died for him [L By your eating do not destroy that one for whom Christ died!; C so trivial a matter as food must not negate the tremendous sacrifice Christ made]. 16 Do not allow what you think is good to ·become what others say is evil [be criticized/regarded as evil; L be slandered/blasphemed]. 17 ·In the kingdom of God, eating and drinking are not important [L For the kingdom of God is not (about) eating and drinking]. The important things are ·living right with God [righteousness], peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Anyone who serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God and will be ·accepted [approved; respected] by other people.
19 So let us try to do what makes peace and ·helps [builds up; edifies] one another. 20 Do not let the eating of food ·destroy [tear down] the work of God. All foods are ·all right to eat [clean; ritually undefiled], but it is wrong to eat food that causes someone else to ·sin [stumble; fall]. 21 It is ·better [good] not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that will cause your brother or sister to ·sin [stumble; fall].
22 Your beliefs about these things should be kept secret between you and God. ·People are happy [Blessed are those] ·if they can do what they think is right without feeling guilty [L who do not condemn themselves concerning issues they have examined and approved]. 23 But those who eat something ·without being sure it is right [while doubting; with misgivings] are ·wrong [condemned] because they did not believe it was right. Anything that ·is done without believing it is right [or does not come from faith] is sin.
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