M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jacob Meets Rachel
29 Jacob journeyed on and reached the territory that belonged to the people who lived in the east.[a] 2 As he was observing a well that had been dug out on the open range, all of a sudden he noticed three flocks of sheep lying there, because shepherds watered their flocks from that well. There was a very large stone that covered the opening of the well, 3 and when all the flocks had been gathered there, they would roll away the stone from the opening of the well, water their flocks, and then return the stone to its place covering the opening of the well.
4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?”
“We’re from Haran,” they answered.
5 “Do you happen to know Nahor’s son Laban?” he inquired.
“We do,” they replied.
6 So he asked them, “How’s he doing?”
“Very well,” they answered. “As a matter of fact, look over there! That’s his daughter Rachel, coming here with his sheep.”
7 “Look!” Jacob replied. “The sun[b] is still high. It’s not yet time for the flocks to be gathered. Let’s water the sheep, then let them graze.”
8 But they responded, “We can’t do that until all the sheep have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the opening of the well. Only then can we water the flock.” 9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, since she was a shepherdess.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, accompanied by Laban’s sheep, Jacob approached the well, rolled the stone from the opening of the well, and then watered his mother’s brother Laban’s flock. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to cry out loud. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was related to her father, since he was Rebekah’s son, so she ran and told her father.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him, kissed him, and brought him back to his house. Then Jacob told Laban about everything that had happened. 14 Laban responded, “You certainly are my flesh and blood!”[c] So Jacob[d] stayed with him for about a month.[e]
Jacob Agrees to Work in Order to Marry Rachel
15 Later, Laban asked Jacob, “Should you serve me for free, just because you’re my nephew?[f] Let’s talk about what your wages should be.”
16 Now Laban happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. 17 Leah looked rather plain,[g] but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: “I’ll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 “It’s better that I give her to you than to another man,” Laban replied, “so stay with me.” 20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.
21 Eventually, Jacob told Laban, “Bring me my wife, now that my time of service[h] has been completed, so I can go be with her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.
Laban Deceives Jacob
23 That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob.[i] He had marital relations with her. 24 Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant. 25 The next morning, Jacob[j] realized that it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” he demanded of Laban. “Didn’t I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?”
26 But Laban responded, “It’s not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage[k] before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the week for this daughter,[l] then we’ll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years.”
28 So Jacob completed another seven years’ work, and then Laban[m] gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant. 30 Jacob[n] also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years’ work for Rachel.
Leah’s Children
31 Later, the Lord noticed that Leah was being neglected,[o] so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben,[p] because she was saying, “The Lord had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me.”
33 Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, “Because the Lord heard that I’m neglected, he gave me this one, too.” So she named him Simeon.[q]
34 Later, she conceived again and said, “This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I’ve borne him three sons.” So he named him Levi.[r]
35 Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, “This time I’ll praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[s]
Then she stopped bearing children.
Jesus is Raised from the Dead(A)
28 After the Sabbaths,[a] around dawn on the first day of the week,[b] Mary Magdalene[c] and the other Mary went to take a look at the burial site.[d] 2 Suddenly, there was a powerful earthquake, because an angel of the Lord had come down from heaven, approached the stone, rolled it away, and was sitting on top of it. 3 His appearance was bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 Trembling from fear, even the guards themselves became catatonic.[e]
5 Responding to the women, the angel said, “Stop being frightened! I know you’re looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here. He has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he[f] was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee, and you will see him there. Remember, I have told you!”
8 So they quickly left the tomb, terrified but also ecstatic, and ran to tell Jesus’[g] disciples. 9 Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They went up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus told them, “Stop being frightened! Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
The Guards Report to the High Priests
11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. 12 So they met with the elders and agreed on a plan to give the soldiers a large[h] amount of money. 13 They said, “Say that Jesus’[i] disciples came at night and stole him while you were sleeping. 14 If this is reported to the governor, we’ll personally persuade him to keep you out of trouble.”[j] 15 So the soldiers[k] took the money, did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
Jesus Commissions His Disciples(B)
16 The eleven disciples went into Galilee to the hillside to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him, though some had doubts. 18 Then Jesus approached them and told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day[l] until the end of the age.”[m]
Esther Goes before the King
5 On the third day, Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace in front of the king’s quarters.[a] The king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the building. 2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she won his favor, and the king extended to Esther the gold scepter that he was holding. Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter. 3 The king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even if it’s half of the kingdom, it will be given to you.”
4 Esther replied, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet I’ve prepared for him.”
5 The king responded, “Bring Haman quickly so we may do what Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 While they were drinking wine,[b] the king asked Esther, “What’s your petition? It will be given to you. What’s your request? Up to half of the kingdom, and it will be done.”
7 Esther answered, “This is my petition and my request: 8 If I’ve found favor with the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to honor my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I’ll prepare for them tomorrow, and then I’ll do what the king has said.”
Haman’s Plan to Kill Mordecai
9 Haman went out that day pleased and happy, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and that he did not stand up and tremble in his presence, Haman was furious with Mordecai. 10 Haman restrained himself, went to his house, and sent for[c] his friends and his wife Zeresh. 11 Then Haman told them about his splendid wealth, the number[d] of his sons, all the ways the king had honored[e] him, and that he had promoted him above all the other officials and ministers[f] of the king.
12 Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther brought no one except me with the king to the banquet that she held. Furthermore, I (along with the king) have also been invited by her tomorrow. 13 But all this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said, “Have a pole made 50 cubits[g] high, and then in the morning speak to the king and have Mordecai hanged[h] on it. Then go with the king to the banquet happy.” This advice pleased Haman, and he had the pole made.
Paul on the Island of Malta
28 When we were safely on shore, we learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The people who lived there were unusually kind to us. It had started to rain and was cold, so they started a bonfire and invited us to join them[a] around it. 3 Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire. A poisonous snake was forced out by the heat and attached itself to Paul’s[b] hand. 4 When the people who lived there saw the snake hanging from his hand, they told one another, “This man must be a murderer! He may have escaped from the sea, but Justice[c] won’t let him live.” 5 But he shook the snake into the fire and wasn’t harmed. 6 They were expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7 The governor of the island, whose name was Publius, owned estates in that part of the island. He welcomed us and entertained us with great hospitality for three days. 8 The father of Publius happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and healed him by placing his hands on him. 9 After that had happened, the rest of the sick people on the island went to him and were healed. 10 The islanders[d] honored us in many ways, and when we were about to sail again,[e] they supplied us with everything we needed.
Paul Sails from Malta to Rome
11 Three months later, we continued our sailing onboard an Alexandrian ship that had spent the winter at the island. It had the Twin Brothers[f] as its figurehead. 12 We stopped at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13 Then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. A day later, a south wind began to blow, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. After this, we arrived in Rome. 15 The brothers there heard about us and came as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and felt encouraged. 16 When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who was guarding him.
Paul in Rome
17 Three days later, Paul[g] called the leaders of the Jews together. When they assembled, he told them, “Brothers, although I haven’t done anything against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 They examined me and wanted to let me go because there was no reason for me to receive[h] the death penalty in my case. 19 But the Jews objected and forced me to appeal to the emperor, even though I have no countercharge to bring against my own people. 20 That’s why I asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.”
21 The Jewish leaders[i] told him, “We haven’t received any letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or mentioned anything bad about you. 22 However, we’d like to hear from you what you believe, because people are talking against this sect everywhere.” 23 So they set a day to meet with Paul[j] and came out in large numbers to see him where he was staying.
From morning until evening, he continued to explain the kingdom of God to them, trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. 24 Some of them were convinced by what he said, but others wouldn’t believe. 25 They disagreed with one another as they were leaving, so Paul added this statement: “The Holy Spirit was so right when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah! 26 He said,
‘Go to this people and say,
“You will listen and listen
but never understand,
and you will look and look
but never see!
27 For this people’s minds[k] have become stupid,
and their ears can barely hear,
and they have shut their eyes
so that they may never see with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart
and turn and let me heal them.”’[l]
28 You must understand that this message about[m] God’s salvation has been sent to the gentiles, and they will listen.”[n]
30 For two whole years Paul[o] lived in his own rented place and welcomed everyone who came to him. 31 He continued to preach about the kingdom of God and to teach boldly and freely about the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.[p]
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