M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Eighth Plague—Locusts
10 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. I have made him and his officials stubborn so that I can do these miraculous signs among them. 2 You will be able to tell your children and grandchildren exactly how I treated the Egyptians and what miraculous signs I did among them. This is how you will all know that I am Yahweh.”
3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what Yahweh Elohim of the Hebrews says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself in my presence? Let my people go to worship me. 4 If you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country. 5 They will cover the land so that the ground can’t be seen. They will eat everything left by the hail, including every tree still standing in the fields. 6 They will fill your houses and the houses of all your officials and those of all the Egyptians. Your parents and ancestors never saw anything like this from the time they first came here until now.” Moses turned and left Pharaoh.
7 Then Pharaoh’s officials asked him, “How long will this man hold us in his grip? Let the Israelite men go to worship Yahweh their Elohim. When will you realize that Egypt is ruined?”
8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship Yahweh your Elohim,” he said to them. “But exactly who will be going?”
9 Moses answered, “Everyone! We’ll be taking our young and old, our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds with us. For us it’s a pilgrimage festival in Yahweh’s honor.”
10 Pharaoh said to them, “Yahweh would have to be with you if I would ever let you take your women and children along. I know you’re up to no good! 11 No! Only the men may go to worship Yahweh, since that’s what you’ve been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were thrown out of Pharaoh’s palace.
12 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over Egypt to bring locusts. They will invade Egypt and eat up every plant in the land—everything left by the hail.”
13 Moses held his staff over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh made a wind from the east blow over the land all that day and all that night. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts. 14 They invaded all of Egypt and landed all over the country in great swarms. Never before had there been so many locusts like this, nor would there ever be that many again. 15 They covered all the ground until it was black with them. They ate all the plants and all the fruit on the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green was left on any tree or plant anywhere in Egypt.
16 Then Pharaoh quickly called for Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against Yahweh your Elohim and against you. 17 Please forgive my sin one more time. Pray to Yahweh your Elohim to take this deadly plague away from me.”
18 Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to Yahweh. 19 Then Yahweh changed the wind to a very strong west wind. It picked up the locusts and blew them into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left anywhere in Egypt.
20 But Yahweh made Pharaoh stubborn, so he did not let the Israelites go.
The Ninth Plague—Darkness
21 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward the sky, and a darkness so thick that it can be felt will come over Egypt.” 22 Moses lifted his hand toward the sky, and throughout Egypt there was total darkness for three days. 23 People couldn’t see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the Israelites had light where they were living.
24 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and said, “Go, worship Yahweh! Even your women and children may go with you, but your flocks and herds must stay behind.”
25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to take our animals for the sacrifices and burnt offerings we have to make to Yahweh our Elohim. 26 All our livestock must go with us. Not one animal must be left behind. We’ll have to use some of them for worshiping Yahweh our Elohim, and we won’t know what we’ll need until we get there.”
27 But Yahweh made Pharaoh stubborn, so he refused to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Don’t ever let me see your face again. The day I do, you will die.”
29 “You’re right!” Moses answered. “You’ll never see my face again.”
Jesus Tells People to Turn to God and Change the Way They Think and Act
13 At that time some people reported to Yeshua about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals. 2 Yeshua replied to them, “Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee? 3 No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die. 4 What about those 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more sinful than other people living in Jerusalem? 5 No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.”
A Story about a Fruitless Tree
6 Then Yeshua used this illustration: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on the tree but didn’t find any. 7 He said to the gardener, ‘For the last three years I’ve come to look for figs on this fig tree but haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up good soil?’
8 “The gardener replied, ‘Sir, let it stand for one more year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 Maybe next year it’ll have figs. But if not, then cut it down.’”
Jesus Heals a Disabled Woman
10 Yeshua was teaching in a synagogue on the day of worship. 11 A woman who was possessed by a spirit was there. The spirit had disabled her for 18 years. She was hunched over and couldn’t stand up straight. 12 When Yeshua saw her, he called her to come to him and said, “Woman, you are free from your disability.” 13 He placed his hands on her, and she immediately stood up straight and praised God.
14 The synagogue leader was irritated with Yeshua for healing on the day of worship. The leader told the crowd, “There are six days when work can be done. So come on one of those days to be healed. Don’t come on the day of worship.”
15 The Lord said, “You hypocrites! Don’t each of you free your ox or donkey on the day of worship? Don’t you then take it out of its stall to give it some water to drink? 16 Now, here is a descendant of Abraham. Satan has kept her in this condition for 18 years. Isn’t it right to free her on the day of worship?”
17 As he said this, everyone who opposed him felt ashamed. But the entire crowd was happy about the miraculous things he was doing.
Stories about a Mustard Seed and Yeast(A)
18 Yeshua asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What can I compare it to? 19 It’s like a mustard seed that someone planted in a garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds nested in its branches.”
20 He asked again, “What can I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It’s like yeast that a woman mixed into a large amount of flour until the yeast worked its way through all the dough.”
The Narrow Door
22 Then Yeshua traveled and taught in one city and village after another on his way to Jerusalem.
23 Someone asked him, “Sir, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He answered, 24 “Try hard to enter through the narrow door. I can guarantee that many will try to enter, but they won’t succeed. 25 After the homeowner gets up and closes the door, it’s too late. You can stand outside, knock at the door, and say, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know who you are.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will tell you, ‘I don’t know who you are. Get away from me, all you evil people.’ 28 Then you will cry and be in extreme pain. That’s what you’ll do when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets. They’ll be in the kingdom of God, but you’ll be thrown out. 29 People will come from all over the world and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30 Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”
Jesus Warns Jerusalem
31 At that time some Pharisees told Yeshua, “Get out of here, and go somewhere else! Herod wants to kill you.”
32 Yeshua said to them, “Tell that fox that I will force demons out of people and heal people today and tomorrow. I will finish my work on the third day. 33 But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day. It’s not possible for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing! 35 Your house will be abandoned. I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Job Continues: Wisdom Is Inaccessible to Humans
28 “There is a place where silver is mined
and a place where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken from the ground,
and rocks are melted for their copper.
3 Humans bring an end to darkness there
and search to the limit of the gloomy, pitch-black rock.
4 They open up a mineshaft far from civilization,
where no one has set foot.
In this shaft men dangle and swing back and forth.
5 “Above the ground food grows,
but beneath it the food decays as if it were burned by fire.
6 That place’s stones are sapphire.[a]
Its dust contains gold.
7 No bird of prey knows the way to it.
No hawk’s eye has ever seen it.
8 No proud beast has ever walked on it.
No ferocious lion has ever passed over it.
9 “Humans exert their power on the flinty rocks
and overturn mountains at their base.
10 They cut out mineshafts in the rocks.
Their eyes see every precious thing.
11 They explore[b] the sources of rivers
so that they bring hidden treasures to light.
Wisdom Is Inaccessible to Decay and Death
12 “Where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding live?
13 No mortal knows where it is.[c]
It cannot be found in this world of the living.
14 The deep ocean says, ‘It isn’t in me.’
The sea says, ‘It isn’t with me.’
15 You cannot obtain it with solid gold
or buy it for any amount of silver.
16 It can’t be bought with the gold from Ophir
or with precious onyx or sapphire.
17 Neither gold nor glass can equal its value.
Nor can gold ornaments, jewels, or crystal[d]
18 be exchanged for it.
Wisdom is more valuable than gems.
19 Topaz from Ethiopia cannot equal its value.
It cannot be bought for any amount of pure gold.
20 “Where does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding live?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living being,
hidden even from the birds in the air.
22 Decay and Death say,
‘We’ve heard a rumor about it.’
Wisdom Is Accessible Only to the Creator
23 “Elohim understands the way to it.
He knows where it lives
24 because he can see to the ends of the earth
and observe everything under heaven.
25 When he gave the wind its force
and measured the water in the sea,
26 when he made rules for the rain
and set paths for the thunderstorms,
27 then he saw it and announced it.
He confirmed it and examined it.
28 So he told humans,
‘The fear of Adonay is wisdom!
To stay away from evil is understanding.’”
Speak in Ways That Can Be Understood
14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially the gift of speaking what God has revealed. 2 When a person speaks in another language, he doesn’t speak to people but to God. No one understands him. His spirit is speaking mysteries. 3 But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he speaks to people to help them grow, to encourage them, and to comfort them. 4 When a person speaks in another language, he helps himself grow. But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he helps the church grow. 5 I wish that all of you could speak in other languages, but especially that you could speak what God has revealed. The person who speaks what God has revealed is more important than the person who speaks in other languages. This is true unless he can interpret what he says to help the church grow. 6 Brothers and sisters, it wouldn’t do you any good if I came to you speaking in other languages, unless I explained revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or doctrine to you.
7 Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? 8 For example, if the trumpet doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 In the same way, if you don’t speak in a way that can be understood, how will anyone know what you’re saying? You will be talking into thin air.
10 No matter how many different languages there are in the world, not one of them is without meaning. 11 If I don’t know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the person who speaks it and that person will be a foreigner to me. 12 In the same way, since you’re eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in them so that you help the church grow. 13 So the person who speaks in another language should pray for an interpretation of what he says.
14 If I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my mind is not productive. 15 So what does this mean? It means that I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, and I will sing psalms with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you praise God only with your spirit, how can outsiders say “Amen!” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They don’t know what you’re saying. 17 Your prayer of thanksgiving may be very good, but it doesn’t help other people grow. 18 I thank God that I speak in other languages more than any of you. 19 Yet, in order to teach others in church, I would rather say five words that can be understood than ten thousand words in another language.
20 Brothers and sisters, don’t think like children. When it comes to evil, be like babies, but think like mature people. 21 God’s word says,
“Through people who speak foreign languages
and through the mouths of foreigners
I will speak to these people,
but even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”
22 So the gift of speaking in other languages is a sign for unbelievers, not for believers. The gift of speaking what God has revealed is a sign for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 Suppose the whole congregation gathers in the same place and you speak in other languages. When outsiders or unbelievers come in, won’t they say that you’re out of your mind? 24 Now suppose you speak what God has revealed. When unbelievers or outsiders come in you will show them where they are wrong and convince them that they are sinners. 25 The secrets in their hearts will become known, and in this way they will quickly bow with their faces touching the ground, worship God, and confess that God is truly among you.
Maintain Order in Your Worship Services
26 So what does this mean, brothers and sisters? When you gather, each person has a psalm, doctrine, revelation, another language, or an interpretation. Everything must be done to help each other grow. 27 If people speak in other languages, only two or three at the most should speak. They should do it one at a time, and someone must interpret what each person says. 28 But if an interpreter isn’t present, those people should remain silent in church. They should only speak to themselves and to God.
29 Two or three people should speak what God has revealed. Everyone else should decide whether what each person said is right or wrong. 30 If God reveals something to another person who is seated, the first speaker should be silent. 31 All of you can take your turns speaking what God has revealed. In that way, everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 People who speak what God has revealed must control themselves. 33 God is not a God of disorder but a God of peace.
As in all the churches of God’s holy people, 34 the women must keep silent. They don’t have the right to speak. They must take their place as Moses’ Teachings say. 35 If they want to know anything they should ask their husbands at home. It’s shameful for a woman to speak in church. 36 Did God’s word originate with you? Are you the only ones it has reached?
37 Whoever thinks that he speaks for God or that he is spiritually gifted must acknowledge that what I write to you is what the Lord commands. 38 But whoever ignores what I write should be ignored.
39 So, brothers and sisters, desire to speak what God has revealed, and don’t keep anyone from speaking in other languages. 40 Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.