M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Bezalel and Oholiab Help
31 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri from the tribe of Judah. (Uri was the son of Hur.) 3 I have filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God and have given him the skill, ability, and knowledge to do all kinds of work. 4 He is able to design pieces to be made from gold, silver, and bronze, 5 to cut jewels and put them in metal, to carve wood, and to do all kinds of work. 6 I have also chosen Oholiab son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan to work with Bezalel. I have given skills to all the craftsmen, and they will be able to make all these things I have commanded you: 7 the Meeting Tent, the Ark of the Agreement, the lid that covers the Ark, and everything in the Tent. 8 This includes the table and everything on it, the pure gold lampstand and everything with it, the altar of incense, 9 the altar for burnt offerings and everything used with it, and the bowl and the stand under it. 10 They will make the woven clothes and the holy clothes for Aaron and the clothes for his sons to wear when they serve as priests. 11 They will also make the special olive oil used in appointing people and things to the service of the Lord, and the sweet-smelling incense for the Holy Place.
“These workers will make all these things just as I have commanded you.”
The Day of Rest
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Tell the Israelites, ‘You must keep the rules about my Sabbaths, because they will be a sign between you and me from now on. In this way you will know that I, the Lord, make you holy.
14 “‘Make the Sabbath a holy day. If anyone treats the Sabbath like any other day, that person must be put to death; anyone who works on the Sabbath day must be cut off from his people. 15 There are six days for working, but the seventh day is a day of rest, a day holy for the Lord. Anyone who works during the Sabbath day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites must remember the Sabbath day as an agreement between them and me that will continue from now on. 17 The Sabbath day will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, because in six days I, the Lord, made the sky and the earth. On the seventh day I did not work; I rested.’”
18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets with the Agreement written on them, written by the finger of God.
The Shepherd and His Sheep
10 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, the person who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The one who guards the door opens it for him. And the sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he brings all his sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger. They will run away from him because they don’t know his voice.” 6 Jesus told the people this story, but they did not understand what it meant.
Jesus Is the Good Shepherd
7 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the door for the sheep. 8 All the people who came before me were thieves and robbers. The sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door, and the person who enters through me will be saved and will be able to come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12 The worker who is paid to keep the sheep is different from the shepherd who owns them. When the worker sees a wolf coming, he runs away and leaves the sheep alone. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13 The man runs away because he is only a paid worker and does not really care about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I give my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not in this flock, and I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The Father loves me because I give my life so that I can take it back again. 18 No one takes it away from me; I give my own life freely. I have the right to give my life, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father commanded me to do.”
19 Again the leaders did not agree with each other because of these words of Jesus. 20 Many of them said, “A demon has come into him and made him crazy. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “A man who is crazy with a demon does not say things like this. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus Is Rejected
22 The time came for the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the Temple in Solomon’s Porch. 24 Some people gathered around him and said, “How long will you make us wonder about you? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I told you already, but you did not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name show who I am. 26 But you don’t believe, because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never die, and no one can steal them out of my hand. 29 My Father gave my sheep to me. He is greater than all, and no person can steal my sheep out of my Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
31 Again some of the people picked up stones to kill Jesus. 32 But he said to them, “I have done many good works from the Father. Which of these good works are you killing me for?”
33 They answered, “We are not killing you because of any good work you did, but because you speak against God. You are only a human, but you say you are the same as God!”
34 Jesus answered, “It is written in your law that God said, ‘I said, you are gods.’[a] 35 This Scripture called those people gods who received God’s message, and Scripture is always true. 36 So why do you say that I speak against God because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? I am the one God chose and sent into the world. 37 If I don’t do what my Father does, then don’t believe me. 38 But if I do what my Father does, even though you don’t believe in me, believe what I do. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
39 They tried to take Jesus again, but he escaped from them.
40 Then he went back across the Jordan River to the place where John had first baptized. Jesus stayed there, 41 and many people came to him and said, “John never did a miracle, but everything John said about this man is true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
The Woman of Adultery
7 My son, remember what I say, and treasure my commands.
2 Obey my commands, and you will live.
Guard my teachings as you would your own eyes.
3 Remind yourself of them;
write them on your heart as if on a tablet.
4 Treat wisdom as a sister,
and make understanding your closest friend.
5 Wisdom and understanding will keep you away from adultery,
away from the unfaithful wife and her pleasing words.
6 Once while I was at the window of my house
I looked out through the shutters
7 and saw some foolish, young men.
I noticed one of them had no wisdom.
8 He was walking down the street near the corner
on the road leading to her house.
9 It was the twilight of the evening;
the darkness of the night was just beginning.
10 Then the woman approached him,
dressed like a prostitute
and planning to trick him.
11 She was loud and stubborn
and never stayed at home.
12 She was always out in the streets or in the city squares,
waiting around on the corners of the streets.
13 She grabbed him and kissed him.
Without shame she said to him,
14 “I made my fellowship offering and took some of the meat home.
Today I have kept my special promises.
15 So I have come out to meet you;
I have been looking for you and have found you.
16 I have covered my bed
with colored sheets from Egypt.
17 I have made my bed smell sweet
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s make love until morning.
Let’s enjoy each other’s love.
19 My husband is not home;
he has gone on a long trip.
20 He took a lot of money with him
and won’t be home for weeks.”
21 By her clever words she made him give in;
by her pleasing words she led him into doing wrong.
22 All at once he followed her,
like an ox led to the butcher,
like a deer caught in a trap
23 and shot through the liver with an arrow.
Like a bird caught in a trap,
he didn’t know what he did would kill him.
24 Now, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25 Don’t let yourself be tricked by such a woman;
don’t go where she leads you.
26 She has ruined many good men,
and many have died because of her.
27 Her house is on the road to death,
the road that leads down to the grave.
Help Each Other
6 Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too. 2 By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is important when he really is not, he is only fooling himself. 4 Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself with others. Then he can be proud for what he himself has done. 5 Each person must be responsible for himself.
6 Anyone who is learning the teaching of God should share all the good things he has with his teacher.
Life Is like Planting a Field
7 Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. 8 If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin. But if they plant to please the Spirit, they will receive eternal life from the Spirit. 9 We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. 10 When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers.
Paul Ends His Letter
11 See what large letters I use to write this myself. 12 Some people are trying to force you to be circumcised so the Jews will accept them. They are afraid they will be attacked if they follow only the cross of Christ.[a] 13 Those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so they can brag about what they forced you to do. 14 I hope I will never brag about things like that. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is my only reason for bragging. Through the cross of Jesus my world was crucified, and I died to the world. 15 It is not important if a man is circumcised or uncircumcised. The important thing is being the new people God has made. 16 Peace and mercy to those who follow this rule—and to all of God’s people.
17 So do not give me any more trouble. I have scars on my body that show[b] I belong to Christ Jesus.
18 My brothers and sisters, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.