M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Israel at Mount Sinai
19 Two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they came to the desert of Sinai. 2 Israel had moved from Rephidim and had come into the desert of Sinai. They had set up camp there in front of the mountain.
3 Then Moses went up the mountain to Elohim, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, “This is what you must say to the descendants of Jacob. Tell the Israelites, 4 ‘You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to my mountain. 5 If you carefully obey me and are faithful to the terms of my promise,[a] then out of all the nations you will be my own special possession, even though the whole world is mine. 6 You will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words you must speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went down and called for the leaders of the people. He repeated to them all the words that Yahweh had commanded him. 8 All the people answered together, “We will do everything Yahweh has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to Yahweh.
9 Yahweh said to Moses, “I am coming to you in a storm cloud so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always believe you.” Moses told Yahweh what the people had said.
10 So Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and tell them they have two days to get ready. They must set themselves apart as holy. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the day after tomorrow. On that day Yahweh will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch. 12 Mark off a boundary around the mountain for the people, and tell them not to go up the mountain or even touch it. Those who touch the mountain must be put to death. 13 No one should touch them. They must be stoned or shot with arrows. No matter whether it’s an animal or a person, it must not live. The people may go up the mountain only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast.”
14 After Moses went down the mountain to the people, he had them get ready, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then Moses said to the people, “Be ready two days from now. Don’t disqualify yourselves by having sexual intercourse.”
16 On the morning of the second day, there was thunder and lightning with a heavy cloud over the mountain, and a very loud blast from a ram’s horn was heard. All the people in the camp shook with fear. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with Elohim, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because Yahweh had come down on it in fire. Smoke rose from the mountain like the smoke from a kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. 19 As the sound of the horn grew louder and louder, Moses was speaking, and the voice of Elohim answered him.
20 Yahweh came down on top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up. 21 Yahweh said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to force their way through the boundary to see Yahweh, or many of them will die. 22 Even the priests who are allowed to come near Yahweh must set themselves apart as holy, or Yahweh will violently kill them.”
23 Moses said to Yahweh, “The people can’t come up Mount Sinai, because you warned us yourself to mark off a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.”
24 Yahweh said to him, “Go down, and bring Aaron back with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through the boundary to come up to Yahweh, or he will violently kill them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
The Plot to Kill Jesus(A)
22 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, called Passover, was near. 2 The chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings were looking for some way to kill Yeshua. However, they were afraid of the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles. 4 Judas went to the chief priests and the temple guards and discussed with them how he could betray Yeshua. 5 They were pleased and agreed to give him some money. 6 So Judas promised to do it. He kept looking for an opportunity to betray Yeshua to them when there was no crowd.
The Passover(B)
7 The day came during the Festival of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb had to be killed. 8 Yeshua sent Peter and John and told them, “Go, prepare the Passover lamb for us to eat.”
9 They asked him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?”
10 He told them, “Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him into the house he enters. 11 Tell the owner of the house that the teacher asks, ‘Where is the room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 12 He will take you upstairs and show you a large furnished room. Get things ready there.”
13 The disciples left. They found everything as Yeshua had told them and prepared the Passover.
14 When it was time to eat the Passover meal, Yeshua and the apostles were at the table. 15 Yeshua said to them, “I’ve had a deep desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 I can guarantee that I won’t eat it again until it finds its fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He said, “Take this, and share it. 18 I can guarantee that from now on I won’t drink this wine until the kingdom of God comes.”
The Lord’s Supper(C)
19 Then Yeshua took bread and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He broke the bread, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given up for you. Do this to remember me.”
20 When supper was over, he did the same with the cup. He said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new promise[a] made with my blood.”
Jesus Knows Who Will Betray Him(D)
21 “The hand of the one who will betray me is with me on the table. 22 The Son of Man is going to die the way it has been planned for him. But how horrible it will be for that person who betrays him.”
23 So they began to discuss with each other who could do such a thing.
An Argument about Greatness
24 Then a quarrel broke out among the disciples. They argued about who should be considered the greatest.
25 Yeshua said to them, “The kings of nations have power over their people, and those in authority call themselves friends of the people. 26 But you’re not going to be that way! Rather, the greatest among you must be like the youngest, and your leader must be like a servant. 27 Who’s the greatest, the person who sits at the table or the servant? Isn’t it really the person who sits at the table? But I’m among you as a servant.
28 “You have stood by me in the troubles that have tested me. 29 So as my Father has given me a kingdom, I’m giving it to you. 30 You will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. You will also sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial(E)
31 Then the Lord said, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to have you apostles for himself. He wants to separate you from me as a farmer separates wheat from husks. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. So when you recover, strengthen the other disciples.”
33 But Peter said to him, “Lord, I’m ready to go to prison with you and to die with you.”
34 Yeshua replied, “Peter, I can guarantee that the rooster won’t crow tonight until you say three times that you don’t know me.”
35 Then Yeshua said to them, “When I sent you out without a wallet, traveling bag, or sandals, you didn’t lack anything, did you?”
“Not a thing!” they answered.
36 Then he said to them, “But now, the person who has a wallet and a traveling bag should take them along. The person who doesn’t have a sword should sell his coat and buy one. 37 I can guarantee that the Scripture passage which says, ‘He was counted with criminals,’ must find its fulfillment in me. Indeed, whatever is written about me will come true.”
38 The disciples said, “Lord, look! Here are two swords!”
Then Yeshua said to them, “That’s enough!”
Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane(F)
39 Yeshua went out of the city to the Mount of Olives as he usually did. His disciples followed him. 40 When he arrived, he said to them, “Pray that you won’t be tempted.”
41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if it is your will, take this cup of suffering away from me. However, your will must be done, not mine.”
43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 So he prayed very hard in anguish. His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.[b]
45 When Yeshua ended his prayer, he got up and went to the disciples. He found them asleep and overcome with sadness. 46 He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up, and pray that you won’t be tempted.”
Jesus Is Arrested(G)
47 While he was still speaking to the disciples, a crowd arrived. The man called Judas, one of the twelve apostles, was leading them. He came close to Yeshua to kiss him.
48 Yeshua said to him, “Judas, do you intend to betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 The men who were with Yeshua saw what was going to happen. So they asked him, “Lord, should we use our swords to fight?” 50 One of the disciples cut off the right ear of the chief priest’s servant.
51 But Yeshua said, “Stop! That’s enough of this.” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
52 Then Yeshua said to the chief priests, temple guards, and leaders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal? 53 I was with you in the temple courtyard every day and you didn’t try to arrest me. But this is your time, when darkness rules.”
54 So they arrested Yeshua and led him away to the chief priest’s house.
Peter Denies Jesus(H)
Peter followed at a distance.
55 Some men had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard. As they sat together, Peter sat among them. 56 A female servant saw him as he sat facing the glow of the fire. She stared at him and said, “This man was with Yeshua.”
57 But Peter denied it by saying, “I don’t know him, woman.”
58 A little later someone else saw Peter and said, “You are one of them.”
But Peter said, “Not me!”
59 About an hour later another person insisted, “It’s obvious that this man was with him. He’s a Galilean!”
60 But Peter said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Just then, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Then the Lord turned and looked directly at Peter. Peter remembered what the Lord had said: “Before a rooster crows today, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” 62 Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
The Trial in Front of the Jewish Council(I)
63 The men who were guarding Yeshua made fun of him as they beat him. 64 They blindfolded him and said to him, “Tell us who hit you.” 65 They also insulted him in many other ways.
66 In the morning the council of the people’s leaders, the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings, gathered together. They brought Yeshua in front of their highest court and asked him, 67 “Tell us, are you the Messiah?”
Yeshua said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. 68 And if I ask you, you won’t answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be in the highest position in heaven.”
70 Then all of them said, “So you’re the Son of God?”
Yeshua answered them, “You’re right to say that I am.”
71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We’ve heard him say it ourselves.”
Elihu Continues: God’s Ways Are Beyond Human Understanding
37 “My heart pounds because of this
and jumps out of its place.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of God’s voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 He flashes his lightning everywhere under heaven.
His light flashes to the ends of the earth.
4 It is followed by the roar of his voice.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
He doesn’t hold the lightning back when his thunder is heard.
5 El’s voice thunders in miraculous ways.
It does great things that we cannot understand.
6 “He says to the snow, ‘Fall to the ground,’
and to the pouring rain, ‘Rain harder!’
7 He makes it impossible to do anything[a]
so that people will recognize his work.
8 Animals go into their dens
and stay in their lairs.
9 A storm comes out of its chamber.
It is cold because of the strong winds.[b]
10 El’s breath produces ice,
and the seas freeze over.
11 Yes, he loads the thick clouds with moisture
and scatters his lightning from the clouds.
12 He guides the clouds as they churn round and round
over the face of the inhabited earth
to do everything he orders them.
13 Whether for discipline,
or for the good of his earth,
or out of mercy,
he makes the storm appear.
14 “Open your ears to this, Job.
Stop and consider El’s miracles.
15 Do you know how Eloah controls them
and makes the lightning flash from his clouds?
16 Do you know how the clouds drift
(these are the miracles of the one who knows everything),
17 you whose clothes are hot and sweaty,
when the earth is calm under a south wind?
18 Can you stretch out the skies with him
and make them as firm as a mirror made of metal?
19 Teach us what we should say to him.
We are unable to prepare a case because of darkness.
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Can a person speak when he is confused?
21 People can’t look at the sun
when it’s bright among the clouds
or after the wind has blown and cleared those clouds away.
22 A golden light comes from the north.
A terrifying majesty is around Eloah.
23 Shadday, whom we can’t reach,
is great in power and judgment,
has more than enough righteousness,
and does not oppress.
24 That is why people should fear him.
He does not respect those who think they’re wise.”
7 Since we have these promises, dear friends, we need to cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit and live a holy life in the fear of God.
Paul Was Comforted by What the Corinthians Did
2 Open your hearts to us. We haven’t treated anyone unjustly, ruined anyone, or cheated anyone. 3 I’m not saying this to condemn you. I’ve already told you that you are in our hearts so that we will live and die together. 4 I have great confidence in you, and I have a lot of reasons to be proud of you. Even as we suffer, I’m encouraged and feel very happy.
5 Ever since we arrived in the province of Macedonia, we’ve had no rest. Instead, we suffer in a number of ways. Outwardly we have conflicts, and inwardly we have fears. 6 Yet God, who comforts those who are dejected, comforted us when Titus arrived. 7 We were comforted not only by his arrival but also by learning about the comfort he had received while he was with you. He told us how you wanted to see me, how sorry you are for what you’ve done, and how concerned you are about me. This made me even happier.
8 If my letter made you uncomfortable, I’m not sorry. But since my letter did make you uncomfortable for a while, I was sorry. 9 But I’m happy now, not because I made you uncomfortable, but because the distress I caused you has led you to change the way you think and act. You were distressed in a godly way, so we haven’t done you any harm. 10 In fact, to be distressed in a godly way causes people to change the way they think and act and leads them to be saved. No one can regret that. But the distress that the world causes brings only death.
11 When you became distressed in a godly way, look at how much devotion it caused you to have. You were ready to clear yourselves of the charges against you. You were disgusted with the wrong that had been done. You were afraid. You wanted to see us. You wanted to show your concern for us. You were ready to punish the wrong that had been done. In every way you have demonstrated that you are people who are innocent in this matter. 12 So, when I wrote to you, I didn’t write because of the man who did the wrong or the man who was hurt by it. Rather, I wrote because I wanted you to show your devotion to us in God’s sight. 13 This is what has comforted us.
In addition to being comforted, we were especially pleased to see how happy Titus was. All of you had put his mind at ease. 14 I didn’t have to be ashamed of anything I had said to him when I bragged about you. Since everything we told you was true, our bragging to Titus has also proved to be true. 15 His deepest feelings go out to you even more as he remembers how obedient all of you were, and how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. 16 I’m pleased that I can be confident about you in every way.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.