M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jacob’s Family Settles in Goshen
47 Then (A)Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of (B)Goshen.” 2 He took five men from among his brothers and (C)presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “(D)What is your occupation?” So they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are (E)shepherds, both we and our fathers.” 4 They said to Pharaoh, “(F)We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for (G)the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, therefore, please let your servants [a](H)live in the land of Goshen.” 5 Then Pharaoh said to [b]Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is [c]at your disposal; [d]settle your father and your brothers in (I)the best of the land, let them [e]live in the land of Goshen; and if you know any (J)capable men among them, then [f]put them in charge of my livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob and [g]presented him to Pharaoh; and Jacob (K)blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many [h]years have you lived?” 9 So Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The [i](L)years of my sojourning are one hundred and [j]thirty; few and [k]unpleasant have been the [l]years of my life, nor have they [m]attained (M)the [n]years [o]that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning.” 10 And Jacob (N)blessed Pharaoh, and went out from [p]his presence. 11 So Joseph [q]settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in (O)the best of the land, in the land of (P)Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered. 12 Joseph (Q)provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with [r]food, according to their little ones.
13 Now there was no [s]food in all the land, because the famine was very severe, so that (R)the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14 (S)Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15 When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph [t]and said, “Give us [u]food, for (T)why should we die in your presence? For our money [v]is gone.” 16 Then Joseph said, “Give up your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, since your money [w]is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them [x]food in exchange for the horses and the [y]flocks and the herds and the donkeys; and he [z]fed them with [aa]food in exchange for all their livestock [ab]that year. 18 When that year was ended, they came to him the [ac]next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent, and the [ad]cattle are my lord’s. There is nothing left [ae]for my lord except our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for [af]food, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”
Result of the Famine
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for [ag]every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. Thus the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 As for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they [ah]lived off the allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they did not sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have today bought you and your land for Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land. 24 [ai]At the harvest you shall give a (U)fifth to Pharaoh, and [aj]four-fifths shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and as food for your little ones.” 25 So they said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt valid to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; (V)only the land of the priests [ak]did not become Pharaoh’s.
27 Now Israel [al]lived in the land of Egypt, in [am]Goshen, and they (W)acquired property in it and (X)were fruitful and became very numerous. 28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt (Y)seventeen years; so the [an]length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years.
29 When [ao](Z)the time for Israel to die drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor in your sight, (AA)place now your hand under my thigh and (AB)deal with me in kindness and [ap]faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I (AC)lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in (AD)their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” 31 He said, “(AE)Swear to me.” So he swore to him. Then (AF)Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed.
Introduction
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things [a](A)accomplished among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who (B)from the beginning [b]were (C)eyewitnesses and [c](D)servants of (E)the [d]word, 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, (F)having [e]investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you (G)in consecutive order, (H)most excellent (I)Theophilus; 4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been [f](J)taught.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 (K)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named [g]Zacharias, of the (L)division of [h]Abijah; and he had a wife [i]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both (M)righteous in the sight of God, walking (N)blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in [j]years.
8 Now it happened that while (O)he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot (P)to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer (Q)outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And (R)an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and (S)fear [k]gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “(T)Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and (U)you will [l]give him the name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will (V)drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [m]while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will (W)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will (X)go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of (Y)Elijah, (Z)to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to (AA)make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For (AB)I am an old man and my wife is advanced in [n]years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am (AC)Gabriel, who [o](AD)stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he (AE)kept [p]making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she [q]kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to (AF)take away my disgrace among men.”
Jesus’ Birth Foretold
26 Now in the sixth month the angel (AG)Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called (AH)Nazareth, 27 to (AI)a virgin [r]engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, (AJ)of the [s]descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was [t]Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, [u]favored one! The Lord [v]is with you.” 29 But she (AK)was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, “(AL)Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you (AM)shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (AN)the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him (AO)the throne of His father David; 33 (AP)and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, (AQ)and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How [w]can this be, since I [x]am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “(AR)The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (AS)the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason (AT)the [y]holy Child shall be called (AU)the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and [z]she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For [aa](AV)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the [ab]bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Job Says His Friends’ Proverbs Are Ashes
13 “(A)Behold, my eye has seen all this,
My ear has heard and understood it.
2 “(B)What you know I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 “But (C)I would speak to [a]the Almighty,
And I desire to (D)argue with God.
4 “But you (E)smear with lies;
You are all (F)worthless physicians.
5 “O that you would (G)be completely silent,
And that it would become your wisdom!
6 “Please hear my argument
And listen to the contentions of my lips.
7 “Will you (H)speak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?
8 “Will you (I)show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?
9 “Will it be well when He examines you?
Or (J)will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?
10 “He will surely reprove you
If you secretly (K)show partiality.
11 “Will not (L)His [b]majesty terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall on you?
12 “Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes,
Your defenses are defenses of clay.
Job Is Sure He Will Be Vindicated
13 “(M)Be silent before me so that I may speak;
Then let come on me what may.
14 “Why should I take my flesh in my teeth
And (N)put my life in my [c]hands?
15 “(O)Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I (P)will argue my ways [d]before Him.
16 “This also will be my (Q)salvation,
For (R)a godless man may not come before His presence.
17 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let my declaration fill your ears.
18 “Behold now, I have (S)prepared my case;
I know that (T)I will be vindicated.
19 “(U)Who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and (V)die.
20 “Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:
21 (W)Remove Your [e]hand from me,
And let not the dread of You terrify me.
22 “Then call, and (X)I will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.
23 “(Y)How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make known to me my [f]rebellion and my sin.
24 “Why do You (Z)hide Your face
And consider me (AA)Your enemy?
25 “Will You cause a (AB)driven leaf to tremble?
Or will You pursue the dry (AC)chaff?
26 “For You write (AD)bitter things against me
And (AE)make me to inherit the iniquities of my youth.
27 “You (AF)put my feet in the stocks
And watch all my paths;
You [g]set a limit for the soles of my feet,
28 While [h]I am decaying like a (AG)rotten thing,
Like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Appeal to Unity
1 Paul, (A)called as an apostle of Jesus Christ [a]by (B)the will of God, and (C)Sosthenes our (D)brother,
2 To (E)the church of God which is at (F)Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, [b]saints (G)by calling, with all who in every place (H)call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
3 (I)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 (J)I thank [c]my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were (K)enriched in Him, in all (L)speech and (M)all knowledge, 6 even as (N)the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed [d]in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, (O)awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 (P)who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in (Q)the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 (R)God is faithful, through whom you were (S)called into (T)fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now (U)I exhort you, (V)brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all [e]agree and that there be no [f](W)divisions among you, but that you be [g]made complete in (X)the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that (Y)each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of (Z)Apollos,” and “I of (AA)Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” 13 [h]Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you (AB)baptized [i]in the name of Paul? 14 [j]I thank God that I (AC)baptized none of you except (AD)Crispus and (AE)Gaius, 15 so that no one would say you were baptized [k]in my name. 16 Now I did baptize also the (AF)household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 (AG)For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, (AH)not in [l]cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
The Wisdom of God
18 For the word of the cross is (AI)foolishness to (AJ)those who [m]are perishing, but to us who [n]are being saved it is (AK)the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“(AL)I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”
20 (AM)Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of (AN)this age? Has not God (AO)made foolish the wisdom of (AP)the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God (AQ)the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, (AR)God was well-pleased through the (AS)foolishness of the [o]message preached to (AT)save those who believe. 22 For indeed (AU)Jews ask for [p]signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach [q](AV)Christ crucified, (AW)to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles (AX)foolishness, 24 but to those who are (AY)the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (AZ)the power of God and (BA)the wisdom of God. 25 Because the (BB)foolishness of God is wiser than men, and (BC)the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For [r]consider your (BD)calling, brethren, that there were (BE)not many wise according to [s]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but (BF)God has chosen the foolish things of (BG)the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of (BH)the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of (BI)the world and the despised God has chosen, (BJ)the things that are not, so that He may (BK)nullify the things that are, 29 so that (BL)no [t]man may boast before God. 30 But [u]by His doing you are in (BM)Christ Jesus, who became to us (BN)wisdom from God, [v]and (BO)righteousness and (BP)sanctification, and (BQ)redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “(BR)Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.