M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Baby Moses
2 Now a man from the ·family [L house] of Levi ·married a woman who was also from the family [L took a daughter] of Levi. 2 She ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave birth to a son. When she saw how ·wonderful the baby [good/handsome/healthy he] was, she hid him for three months. 3 But after three months she was not able to hide the baby any longer, so she got a ·basket [ark] made of ·reeds [papyrus] and covered it with ·tar so that it would float [bitumen and pitch]. She put the baby in the basket. Then she put the basket among the ·tall stalks of grass [L reeds] at the edge of the ·Nile River [L river]. 4 The baby’s sister stood ·a short distance away [afar off] to see what would happen to him.
5 Then the daughter of ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] came to the river to ·take a bath [wash], and her servant girls were walking beside the river. When she saw the ·basket [ark] in the ·tall grass [reeds] she sent her slave girl to get it. 6 She opened the basket and saw the baby boy. He was crying, so she ·felt sorry [had pity] for him and said, “This is one of the Hebrew babies.”
7 Then the baby’s sister asked ·the king’s [L Pharaoh’s] daughter, “Would you like me to go and find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for you?”
8 ·The king’s [L Pharaoh’s] daughter said, “Go!” So the girl went and got the baby’s own mother [C Moses not only survived but was raised by his own mother].
9 ·The king’s [L Pharaoh’s] daughter said to the woman, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took her baby and nursed him. 10 When the child ·grew older [L was weaned], the woman took him to the ·king’s [L Pharaoh’s] daughter, and she adopted the baby as her own son. The king’s daughter named him Moses [C sounds like the Hebrew word for “draw/pull up”], because she had ·pulled [drawn] him out of the water.
Moses Tries to Help
11 Moses ·grew and became a man [L grew up]. One day he ·visited his people [L went out among his brothers/relatives/kin] and saw ·that they were forced to work very hard [L their hard/forced labor]. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew man, one of Moses’ ·own people [L brothers; relatives; kin]. 12 Moses looked all around and saw that no one was watching, so he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
13 The ·next [L second] day Moses returned and saw two Hebrew men fighting each other. He said to the one that was in the wrong, “Why are you hitting one of your ·own people [friends; neighbors]?”
14 The man answered, “Who made you ·our ruler [L prince over people] and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”
Moses was afraid and thought, “·Now everyone knows what I did [L Indeed the deed is known].”
15 When ·the king [L Pharaoh] heard ·what Moses had done [L of the thing], he ·tried [sought] to kill him. But Moses ·ran away [fled] from ·the king [L Pharaoh] and went to live in the land of Midian [C probably in the eastern Sinai peninsula or in western Arabia]. There he sat down near a well.
Moses in Midian
16 There was a priest in Midian [C Jethro; also known as Reuel] who had seven daughters. His daughters went to that well to ·get [draw] water to fill the water troughs for their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came and ·chased [drove] the girls away, but Moses defended the girls and watered their flock.
18 When they went back to their father Reuel [C another name for Jethro], he asked them, “Why have you come home early today?”
19 The girls answered, “·The shepherds chased us away, but an Egyptian defended us [L An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of shepherds]. He ·got [drew] water for us and watered our flock.”
20 He asked his daughters, “Where is this man? Why did you ·leave [abandon; forsake] him? Invite him to eat with us.”
21 Moses agreed to stay with Jethro, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses to be his wife. 22 She gave birth to a son. Moses named him Gershom [C sounds like “stranger/resident alien there” in Hebrew], because Moses was a stranger in a ·land that was not his own [foreign land].
23 After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel groaned, because ·they were forced to work very hard [of their work/slavery]. ·When they cried for help, God heard them [L Their plea for help rose up to God because of their work/slavery]. 24 God heard their ·cries [groaning], and he remembered ·the agreement he had made [his covenant] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [Gen. 12:1–3]. 25 God saw the ·troubles of the people [L sons; children] of Israel, and he ·was concerned about [took note of] them.
Jesus’ First Followers
5 One day while Jesus was standing beside ·Lake Galilee [L the Lake of Gennesaret; C another name for the Sea of Galilee], many people were ·pressing [crowding] all around him to hear the word of God. 2 Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Jesus got into one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon [C Peter], and asked him to push off a little from the ·land [shore]. Then Jesus sat down and continued to teach the people from the boat.
4 When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and ·put [let down] your nets in the water to catch some fish.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we ·worked [labored] hard all night trying to catch fish, and we caught nothing. But ·you say [because you say; L upon your word] to put the nets in the water, so I will.” 6 When the fishermen did as Jesus told them, they caught so many fish that the nets began to ·break [tear]. 7 They ·called [signaled; motioned] to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they were almost sinking.
8 When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he bowed down ·before [L at the knees of] Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!” 9 [L For] He and the other fishermen were amazed at the many fish they caught, as were 10 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will ·fish for people [catch people; T be fishers of men].” 11 When the men brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Jesus Heals a Sick Man(A)
12 When Jesus was in one of the towns, there was a man covered with ·a skin disease [T leprosy; C the term does not refer to modern leprosy (Hansen’s disease), but to various skin disorders; see Lev. 14]. When he saw Jesus, he ·bowed [L fell on his face] before him and ·begged [implored] him, “Lord, you can ·heal me [L make me clean; C such skin disorders rendered the victim ceremonially unclean] if you ·will [choose; are willing].”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I ·will [do choose; am willing]. Be ·healed [L cleansed]!” Immediately the disease ·disappeared [left him]. 14 Then Jesus ·said [ordered; commanded], “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and ·show yourself to [be examined by] the priest [C only a priest could declare a person clean] and ·offer a gift [make an offering; offer the sacrifices] for your ·healing [cleansing], as Moses commanded [Lev. 14:1–32]. This will ·show the people [be a public testimony to; be evidence for] what I have done.”
15 But the news about Jesus spread even more. ·Many people [Great crowds] came to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses, 16 but Jesus often ·slipped away [withdrew] to ·be alone [desolate/lonely/wilderness places] so he could pray.
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man(B)
17 One day as Jesus was teaching the people, the Pharisees and teachers of the law from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem were there. ·The Lord was giving Jesus the power [L The power of the Lord was upon him] to heal people. 18 ·Just then [L And look/T behold], some men were carrying on a ·mat [cot; bed] a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and put him down before Jesus. 19 But because there were so many people there, they could not find a way in. So they went up on the roof and lowered the man on his ·mat [cot; bed] through the ·ceiling [L tiles] into the middle of the crowd right ·before [in front of] Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said, “·Friend [L Man], your sins are forgiven.”
21 The ·Jewish teachers of the law [scribes] and the Pharisees ·thought to themselves [L began thinking/reasoning], “Who is this man who is speaking ·as if he were God [blasphemies]? ·Only God can forgive sins [L Who can forgive sins except God alone?; Is. 43:25].”
22 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why are you thinking these things [L in your hearts]? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 But ·I will prove to you [L so that you may know] that the Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, stand up, take your ·mat [cot; bed], and go home.”
25 At once the man stood up before them, picked up ·his mat [L what he had been lying on], and went home, ·praising [glorifying] God. 26 All the people were ·fully amazed [astounded; astonished] and began to ·praise [glorify] God. They were filled with ·much respect [awe; fear] and said, “Today we have seen ·amazing [remarkable; incredible] things!”
Levi Follows Jesus(C)
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax collector’s booth [C probably a tariff booth for taxing goods in transit]. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29 Then Levi gave a ·big dinner [great banquet] for Jesus at his house. Many tax collectors and other people were ·eating there [L reclining; C around a low table, the posture for a formal banquet or dinner party], too. 30 But the Pharisees and ·the men who taught the law for the Pharisees [L their scribes] began to ·complain [grumble] to Jesus’ ·followers [disciples], “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” [C Tax collectors were despised because they worked for the Roman rulers and were notorious for corruption and extortion.]
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy people who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to ·invite [call] ·good people [the righteous; C meaning the “self-righteous” who feel no need to repent] but sinners to ·change their hearts and lives [repentance].”
Jesus Answers a Question(D)
33 They said to Jesus, “John’s ·followers [disciples] often fast [C giving up eating for spiritual purposes] and pray, just as the ·Pharisees [or disciples of the Pharisees] do. But your ·followers [disciples] eat and drink all the time.”
34 Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the ·friends of the bridegroom [or wedding guests; L children of the wedding hall] fast while he is still with them. 35 But the ·time [L days] will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and ·then [L in those days] they will fast.”
36 Jesus told them this ·story [parable]: “No one ·takes [tears] cloth off a new ·coat [garment] to cover a hole in an old ·coat [garment]. If he does, he ·ruins [tears] the new ·coat [garment], and the cloth from the new will not match the old. 37 Also, no one pours new wine into old ·leather bags [wineskins]. Otherwise, the new wine will ·break [tear; burst; C because the fermenting new wine expands] the ·bags [wineskins], the wine will spill out, and the ·leather bags [wineskins] will be ruined. 38 [L But; Rather] New wine must be put into ·new [fresh] ·leather bags [wineskins]. 39 No one after drinking old wine wants new wine, because he says, ‘The old wine is ·better [fine; good].’” [C The religious leaders are content with the old ways of Judaism and not interested in the “new wine” (salvation blessings) of the Kingdom.]
Job Answers Bildad
19 Then Job answered:
2 “How long will you ·hurt [torment] me
and crush me with your words?
3 You have ·insulted [disgraced; shamed] me ten times ·now [over]
and ·attacked me without shame [or are you not shamed to wrong me?].
4 Even if I have ·sinned [erred; made a mistake],
·it is my worry alone [L my sin/mistake lodges within me].
5 If you want to make yourselves ·look better than I [or powerful against me],
you can ·blame me for my suffering [make my shame/disgrace an argument against me].
6 Then know that God has ·wronged [or a distorted view of; unjustly blamed] me
and ·pulled [thrown] his net around me [C like a hunter].
7 “I shout, ‘·I have been wronged [L Violence]!’
But I get no answer.
I scream for help
but I get no justice.
8 God has ·blocked [walled up] my way so I cannot pass;
he has covered my paths with darkness [Prov. 4:19].
9 He has ·taken away [stripped off] my ·honor [glory]
and removed the crown from my head.
10 He beats me down on every side until I am gone;
he ·destroys [uproots] my hope like a fallen tree.
11 ·His anger burns [L He kindles his anger] against me,
and he ·treats [or considers] me like an ·enemy [foe].
12 His ·armies [troops] gather;
they ·prepare to attack [L build up a road against; C a siege ramp] me.
They camp around my tent.
13 “God has ·made my brothers my enemies [L moved my brothers far from me],
and my friends have become strangers.
14 ·My relatives [L Those near me] have ·gone away [or failed me],
and my ·friends [acquaintances] have forgotten me.
15 My guests and my ·female servants [T maidservants] ·treat [or consider] me like a stranger;
they look at me as if I were a foreigner.
16 I call for my servant, but he does not answer,
even when I ·beg him with my own mouth [ask him for a personal favor].
17 My wife ·can’t stand [abhors] my breath,
and my own family ·dislikes me [finds me repulsive].
18 Even the little boys ·hate [L reject] me
and talk ·about [or against] me when I leave.
19 All my close friends ·hate [L detest] me;
even those I love have turned against me.
20 ·I am nothing but skin and bones [L My bones cling to my skin and my flesh];
I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
21 Pity me, my friends, pity me,
because the hand of God has ·hit [touched; struck] me.
22 Why do you ·chase [pursue; persecute] me as God does?
·Haven’t you hurt me enough [L Aren’t you satisfied with my flesh]?
23 “How I wish my words were written down,
·written [L inscribed] on a scroll.
24 I wish they were carved with an iron pen ·into [L and] lead,
or carved into stone ·forever [or as a witness; C Job wants the following statement to last].
25 I know that my ·Defender [Redeemer; or defender; redeemer; C likely referring to God himself] lives,
and ·in the end [or at last] he will ·stand upon [rise up on] the earth [L dust].
26 Even after my skin has been ·destroyed [or peeled off],
·in [from; or without] my flesh I will see God.
27 I will see him myself;
I ·myself [L and not a stranger] will see him with my very own eyes.
How my heart ·wants that to happen [L fades/faints within me]!
28 “·If [or When] you say, ‘·We will continue to trouble Job [L How should we pursue/persecute him?],
because the ·problem [L root of the matter] lies with him,’
29 you should be afraid of the sword yourselves.
·God’s anger [L Wrath] will bring punishment by the sword.
Then you will know there is judgment.”
Judging Problems Among Christians
6 When you have ·something against [a legal dispute with; a grievance against] another Christian, how can you ·bring yourself [dare] to go before ·judges who are not right with God [or the pagan courts; L the unrighteous] instead of before ·God’s people [T the saints]? 2 ·Surely [L Don’t…?] you know that ·God’s people [T the saints] will judge the world. So if you are to judge the world, are you not able to judge ·small [trivial; the smallest of] cases as well? 3 ·You [L Don’t you…?] know that we will judge angels, so surely we can judge the ·ordinary things of [or matters pertaining to] this life. 4 If you have ·ordinary cases [cases/legal disputes of this life] that must be judged, ·are you going to appoint people as judges who mean nothing to the church? [will you appoint judges with no standing in/whose lifestyle is rejected by the church?; or go ahead and appoint the least members of the church to judge them! C in the latter interpretation, Paul speaks sarcastically.] 5 I say this to shame you. ·Surely there is someone [L Is there no one…?] among you wise enough to judge a ·complaint [dispute; conflict] between ·believers [L a brother]. 6 But now one ·believer [brother] goes to court against another ·believer [L brother]—and you do this in front of unbelievers!
7 The fact that you have lawsuits against each other shows that you are already defeated. Why not ·let yourselves be wronged [suffer the injustice]? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 But you yourselves ·do wrong [act unjustly] and cheat, and you do this to ·other believers [L brothers]!
Use Your Bodies for God’s Glory
12 “·I am allowed to do all things [L All things are lawful/permissible for me; C probably a slogan the Corinthians were using; see also 7:1; 8:1, 4; 10:23],” but not all things are ·good for me to do [profitable; beneficial]. “·I am allowed to do all things [L All things are lawful/permissible for me],” but I will not let anything make me its slave. 13 “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food, but God will ·destroy [do away with] them both [C probably another Corinthian slogan (v. 12), meaning only the spirit matters, not what we do with our physical bodies; Paul disagrees].” The body is not for sexual sin but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14 By his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead. 15 ·Surely [Don’t…?] you know that your bodies are ·parts [members] of Christ himself. Should I take the ·parts [members] of Christ and join them to a prostitute? ·Never [Absolutely not; May it never be]! 16 Don’t you know that anyone who joins with a prostitute [C in a sexual relationship] becomes one body with the prostitute? For it is written in the Scriptures, “The two will become one ·body [flesh; Gen. 2:24].” 17 But the one who joins with the Lord [C in spiritual union] is one spirit with the Lord.
18 So ·run away from [flee; stay away from] sexual sin. Every other sin people do is outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. 19 ·You should [L Don’t you…?] know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit who is in you and was given to you by God. So you do not belong to yourselves, 20 because you were ·bought by God [L bought] for a price. So honor God with your bodies.
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