M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Rape of Dinah and the Massacre at Shechem
34 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 2 And Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her. And he took her and lay with her and raped her. 3 And his soul clung to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly[a] to the girl. 4 So Shechem said to Hamor his father, saying, “Get this girl for me as a wife.”
5 And Jacob heard that Dinah his daughter had been defiled, but his sons were with his flocks in the field. And Jacob kept silent until they came. 6 And Hamor, father of Shechem, went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. And the men were distressed and very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by having sexual relations with the daughter of Jacob—something that[b] should not be done. 8 And Hamor spoke with them saying, “Shechem my son is in love with[c] your daughter. Please give her to him for a wife. 9 Make marriages with us. Give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us and the land shall be before you; settle and trade in it, and acquire property in it.” 11 Then Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will do. 12 Make the bride price and gift as high as you like;[d] I will give what you say to me. But give me the girl as a wife.” 13 Then the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor speaking deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised, for that is a disgrace for us. 15 Only on this condition will we give consent to you; if you will become like us—every male among you to be circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take for ourselves your daughters, and we will live with you and become one family. 17 But if you will not listen to us, to be circumcised, then we will take our daughters and we will go.” 18 And their words were good in the eyes of Hamor and in the eyes of Shechem, the son of Hamor. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, for he wanted the daughter of Jacob. Now he was the most honored of his father’s house. 20 Then Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city, and they spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are at peace with us. Let them dwell in the land and let them trade in it. Now, behold, the land is broad enough for them.[e] Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give our daughters to them. 22 Only on this condition will they give consent to us, to live with us and to become one family—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us give consent to them so they will live among us.” 24 And all those who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and Shechem. Every male was circumcised, all those who went out of the gate of his city. 25 And it happened that on the third day, while they were in pain, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah, each took his sword and came against the unsuspecting city and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and they took Dinah from the house of Shechem and went out. 27 The other sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their cattle and their donkeys, and whatever was in the field. 29 They captured and plundered all that was in the houses—all their wealth, their little ones, and their women. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me, making me stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites! I am few in number! If they gather against me and attack me, I will be destroyed—I and my household!” 31 But they said, “Shall he treat our sister like a prostitute?”
A Demon-possessed Gerasene Healed
5 And they came to the other side of the sea,[a] to the region of the Gerasenes.[b] 2 And as[c] he was getting out of the boat, immediately from the tombs a man with an unclean spirit went to meet him, 3 who lived[d] among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him any longer, not even with a chain, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the shackles had been shattered. And no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 And during every night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he[e] saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice he said, “What have I to do with you[f], Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you by God, do not torment me!” 8 (For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”) 9 And he was asking him “What is your name?”[g] And he said to him, “My name is Legion, because we are many.” 10 And he was imploring him many times that he would not send them out of the region. 11 Now a large herd of pigs was there at the hill feeding, 12 and they implored him, saying, “Send us to the pigs so that we may enter into them.” 13 And he permitted them. And the unclean spirits came out and[h] entered into the pigs, and the herd—about two thousand—rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and were drowned in the sea. 14 And their herdsmen fled and reported it[i] in the town and in the countryside, and they came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting there clothed and in his right mind—the one who had had the legion—and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it[j] described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the pigs. 17 And they began to urge him to depart from their region. 18 And as[k] he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed began to implore[l] him that he could go with him. 19 And he did not permit him, but said to him, “Go to your home to your people and tell them all that the Lord has done for you, and that he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and they were all astonished.
A Woman Healed and a Daughter Raised
21 And after[m] Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered to him, and he was beside the sea. 22 And one of the rulers of the synagogue came—Jairus by name—and when he[n] saw him, he fell down at his feet. 23 And he was imploring him many times, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death![o] Come, lay your[p] hands on her, so that she will get well and will live.” 24 And he went with him, and a large crowd was following him and pressing around him.
25 And there was a woman who was suffering from hemorrhages[q] twelve years. 26 And she had endured many things under many physicians, and had spent all that she had[r] and had received no help at all, but instead became worse.[s] 27 When she[t] heard about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind him and[u] touched his cloak, 28 for she was saying, “If I touch just his clothing, I will be healed!” 29 And immediately her hemorrhage stopped[v] and she realized in her[w] body that she was healed of her[x] suffering. 30 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from himself, turned around in the crowd and[y] said, “Who touched my clothing?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing upon you, and you say ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he was looking around to see the one who had done this. 33 So the woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 But he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be well from your suffering.”
35 While[z] he was still speaking, they came from the synagogue ruler’s house[aa] saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the Teacher further?” 36 But Jesus, ignoring[ab] what was said,[ac] told the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid—only believe!” 37 And he did not allow anyone to follow along with him except Peter and James and John, the brother of James. 38 And they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and saw a commotion, and people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he[ad] entered, he said to them, “Why are you agitated and weeping? The child is not dead, but is sleeping.” 40 And they began laughing[ae] at him. But he sent them all out and[af] took along the father and mother of the child, and those who were with him, and went in to where the child was. 41 And taking hold of the child’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”), 42 and immediately the girl stood up and began walking around[ag] (for she was twelve years old). And immediately they were utterly and completely astonished.[ah] 43 And he commanded them strictly that no one should learn of this, and said to give her something[ai] to eat.
Job’s Character and Greatness
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose[a] name was Job. That[b] man was blameless and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Then[c] his livestock came to be seven thousand sheep and goats and three thousand camels and five hundred pairs[d] of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and he had very many slaves, and that man was greater than all the people of the east. 4 And his sons used to go and hold a feast at each other’s house[e] on his day, and they would send, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 Then when[f] the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send,[g] and he would sanctify them. Thus[h] he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of all of them, because Job thought,[i] “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed[j] God in their heart.” This is what Job used to do all the time.[k]
6 And it happened one day[l] that[m] the sons of God[n] came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan[o] also came into their midst. 7 So[p] Yahweh said to Satan,[q] “From where have you come?”
Then[r] Satan[s] answered Yahweh and said, “From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it.”
8 So[t] Yahweh said to Satan,[u] “Have you considered[v] my servant Job? Indeed,[w] there is no one like him on the earth—a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil.”
9 Then[x] Satan[y] answered Yahweh and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have you[z] not put a fence around him and his household and around all that belongs to him[aa] on every side?[ab] You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock[ac] has increased in the land. 11 But,[ad] on the other hand, stretch out[ae] your hand and touch all that belongs to him[af] and see whether[ag] he will curse[ah] you to your face.”
12 So[ai] Yahweh said to Satan,[aj] “Look, all that belongs to him[ak] is in your power.[al] Only do not stretch out your hand against[am] him.” So[an] Satan[ao] went out from Yahweh’s presence.[ap]
The Adversary’s Attack on Job’s Possessions
13 And then there was one day when[aq] his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother’s house. 14 And a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the female donkeys were feeding beside them.[ar] 15 Then[as] the Sabeans attacked,[at] and they took them, and they slew the servants by the edge of the sword.[au] But[av] I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
16 While this one was still speaking, another[aw] came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens, and it blazed up against the sheep and goats and against the servants, and it consumed them. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
17 While this one was still speaking, another[ax] came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three divisions, and they made a raid on the camels, and they carried them away, and they struck your servants by the edge of the sword,[ay] but I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
18 At the time[az] this one was speaking, another[ba] came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother’s house. 19 And behold,[bb] a great wind came from across the desert, and it struck the four corners of the house so that[bc] it fell upon the young people, and they died. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
20 Then[bd] Job arose and tore his outer garment[be] and shaved his head; then[bf] he fell upon the ground and he worshiped. 21 Then[bg] he said, “Naked I came out from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gives, and Yahweh takes. Let Yahweh’s name be blessed.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin and did not charge God with wrongdoing.[bh]
Reconciliation with God through Faith in Christ
5 Therefore, because we[a] have been declared righteous by faith, we have[b] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we[c] know that affliction produces patient endurance, 4 and patient endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while[d] we were still helpless, yet at the proper time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For only rarely will someone die on behalf of a righteous person (for on behalf of a good person possibly someone might even dare to die), 8 but God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while[e] we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Therefore, by much more, because we[f] have been declared righteous now by his blood, we will be saved through him from the wrath. 10 For if, while we[g] were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, by much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved by his life. 11 And not only this, but also we are boasting in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Death Came through Adam but Life Comes through Christ
12 Because of this, just as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned. 13 For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not charged to one’s account when there[h] is no law. 14 But death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who did not sin in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who is to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass[i], for if by the trespass of the one, the many died, by much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, multiply to the many. 16 And the gift is not as through the one who sinned, for on the one hand, judgment from the one sin led to condemnation, but the gift, from many trespasses, led to justification. 17 For if by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through the one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 18 Consequently therefore, as through one trespass came condemnation to all people, so also through one righteous deed came justification of life to all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man, the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in as a side issue, in order that the trespass could increase, but where sin increased, grace was present in greater abundance, 21 so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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