M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” (A) she said to Jacob.
2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God? He has withheld offspring[a] from you!”
3 Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she’ll bear children for me[b](B) so that through her I too can build a family.” 4 So Rachel gave her slave Bilhah to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her. 5 Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; yes, he has heard me and given me a son,” so she named him Dan.[c]
7 Rachel’s slave Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel said, “In my wrestlings with God,[d] I have wrestled with my sister and won,” and she named him Naphtali.[e]
9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her slave Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!” [f] and she named him Gad.[g]
12 When Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a second son, 13 Leah said, “I am happy that the women call me happy,”(C) so she named him Asher.[h]
14 Reuben went out during the wheat harvest and found some mandrakes in the field.(D) When he brought them to his mother Leah, Rachel asked, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 But Leah replied to her, “Isn’t it enough that you have taken my husband? Now you also want to take my son’s mandrakes?”
“Well then,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”
16 When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So Jacob slept with her that night.
17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my slave to my husband,” and she named him Issachar.[i]
19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 “God has given me a good gift,” Leah said. “This time my husband will honor me because I have borne six sons for him,” and she named him Zebulun.[j] 21 Later, Leah bore a daughter and named her Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb.(E) 23 She conceived and bore a son, and she said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(F) 24 She named him Joseph[k] and said, “May the Lord add another son to me.”(G)
Jacob’s Flocks Multiply
25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so that I can return to my homeland. 26 Give me my wives and my children that I have worked for, and let me go.(H) You know how hard I have worked for you.”
27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor with you, stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.” 28 Then Laban said, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”(I)
29 So Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you and how your herds have fared with me.(J) 30 For you had very little before I came, but now your wealth has increased. The Lord has blessed you because of me. And now, when will I also do something for my own family?”
31 Laban asked, “What should I give you?”
And Jacob said, “You don’t need to give me anything. If you do this one thing for me, I will continue to shepherd and keep your flock. 32 Let me go through all your sheep today and remove every sheep that is speckled or spotted, every dark-colored sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the female goats. Such will be my wages. 33 In the future when you come to check on my wages, my honesty will testify for me. If I have any female goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not black, they will be considered stolen.”
34 “Good,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”
35 That day Laban removed the streaked and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats—every one that had any white on it—and every dark-colored one among the lambs, and he placed his sons in charge of them. 36 He put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob, meanwhile, was shepherding the rest of Laban’s flock.
37 Jacob then took branches of fresh poplar, almond, and plane wood, and peeled the bark, exposing white stripes on the branches. 38 He set the peeled branches in the troughs in front of the sheep—in the water channels where the sheep came to drink. And the sheep bred when they came to drink. 39 The flocks bred in front of the branches and bore streaked, speckled, and spotted young.(K) 40 Jacob separated the lambs and made the flocks face the streaked sheep and the completely dark sheep in Laban’s flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and didn’t put them with Laban’s sheep.
41 Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs, in full view of the flocks, and they would breed in front of the branches. 42 As for the weaklings of the flocks, he did not put out the branches. So it turned out that the weak sheep belonged to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob. 43 And the man became very rich.[l] He had many flocks, female and male slaves, and camels and donkeys.(L)
The Messiah’s Herald
1 The beginning(A) of the gospel(B) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.[a](C) 2 As it is written in Isaiah(D) the prophet:[b](E)
See, I am sending my messenger(F) ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.[c][d] (G)
3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:(H)
Prepare the way for the Lord;(I)
make his paths straight
4 John came baptizing[f](K) in the wilderness(L) and proclaiming a baptism of repentance(M) for the forgiveness(N) of sins.(O) 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem(P) were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan(Q) River, confessing(R) their sins.(S) 6 John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts(T) and wild honey.(U)
7 He proclaimed, “One who is more powerful(V) than I am is coming after me.(W) I am not worthy(X) to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.(Y) 8 I baptize you with[g] water,(Z) but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”(AA)
The Baptism of Jesus
9 In(AB) those days Jesus came from Nazareth(AC) in Galilee(AD) and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens(AE) being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice(AF) came from heaven:(AG) “You are my beloved(AH) Son;(AI) with you I am well-pleased.”(AJ)
The Temptation of Jesus
12 Immediately(AK) the Spirit(AL) drove(AM) him into the wilderness.(AN) 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted(AO) by Satan.(AP) He was with the wild animals,(AQ) and the angels(AR) were serving him.
Ministry in Galilee
14 After(AS) John was arrested,(AT) Jesus went to Galilee,(AU) proclaiming(AV) the good news[h][i](AW) of God:(AX) 15 “The time(AY) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God(AZ) has come(BA) near.(BB) Repent(BC) and believe(BD) the good news!”
The First Disciples
16 As(BE) he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee,(BF) he saw Simon(BG) and Andrew,(BH) Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea(BI)—for they were fishermen. 17 “Follow me,”(BJ) Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for[j](BK) people.”(BL) 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed(BM) him.(BN) 19 Going on a little farther, he saw James(BO) the son of Zebedee(BP) and his brother John(BQ) in a boat putting their nets in order. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.(BR)
Driving Out an Unclean Spirit
21 They(BS) went into Capernaum,(BT) and right away he entered the synagogue(BU) on the Sabbath(BV) and began to teach.(BW) 22 They were astonished(BX) at his teaching(BY) because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.
23 Just then a man with an unclean(BZ) spirit(CA) was in their synagogue.(CB) He cried out, 24 “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?(CC) Have you come to destroy(CD) us? I know who you are—the Holy(CE) One of God!” (CF)
25 Jesus rebuked(CG) him saying, “Be silent,(CH) and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit threw him into convulsions,(CI) shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.
27 They were all amazed,(CJ) and so they began to ask(CK) each other, “What is this? A new teaching(CL) with authority He commands even the unclean(CN) spirits,(CO) and they obey him.” 28 At once the news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.(CP)
Healings at Capernaum
29 As(CQ) soon as they left the synagogue,(CR) they went into Simon(CS) and Andrew’s(CT) house(CU) with James(CV) and John.(CW) 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 So he went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up.(CX) The fever(CY) left her,[l] and she began to serve(CZ) them.(DA)
32 When(DB) evening came, after the sun had set, they brought to him all those who were sick(DC) and demon-possessed.(DD) 33 The whole town was assembled at the door, 34 and he healed(DE) many who were sick with various diseases(DF) and drove out(DG) many demons.(DH) And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.(DI)
Preaching in Galilee
35 Very(DJ) early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place;(DK) and there he was praying.(DL) 36 Simon(DM) and his companions searched for him, 37 and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38 And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach(DN) there too. This is why I have come.”
A Man Cleansed
39 He went into all of Galilee,(DO) preaching in their synagogues(DP) and driving out demons. 40 Then(DQ) a man with leprosy[m](DR) came to him and, on his knees,[n](DS) begged him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”(DT) 41 Moved with compassion,[o](DU) Jesus reached out his hand and touched(DV) him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be made clean.” 42 Immediately the leprosy(DW) left him, and he was made clean. 43 Then he sternly warned(DX) him and sent him away(DY) at once, 44 telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone;(DZ) but go and show(EA) yourself to the priest,(EB) and offer(EC) what Moses commanded for your cleansing,(ED) as a testimony(EE) to them.”[p] 45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim(EF) it widely and to spread the news,(EG) with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But he was out in deserted places, and they came to him from everywhere.
Mordecai Honored by the King
6 That night sleep escaped(A) the king, so he ordered the book recording daily events to be brought and read to the king. 2 They found the written report of how Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, when they planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus.(B) 3 The king inquired, “What honor and special recognition have been given to Mordecai for this act?” (C)
The king’s personal attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”
4 The king asked, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman was just entering the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.(D)
5 The king’s attendants answered him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.”
“Have him enter,” the king ordered. 6 Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king wants to honor?” (E)
Haman thought to himself, “Who is it the king would want to honor more than me?” 7 Haman told the king, “For the man the king wants to honor: 8 Have them bring a royal garment that the king himself has worn(F) and a horse the king himself has ridden,(G) which has a royal crown on its head. 9 Put the garment and the horse under the charge of one of the king’s most noble officials.(H) Have them clothe the man the king wants to honor, parade him on the horse through the city square, and call out before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.’”
10 The king told Haman, “Hurry, and do just as you proposed. Take a garment and a horse for Mordecai the Jew,(I) who is sitting at the King’s Gate. Do not leave out anything you have suggested.”
11 So Haman took the garment and the horse. He clothed Mordecai and paraded him through the city square, calling out before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.”
12 Then Mordecai returned to the King’s Gate,(J) but Haman hurried off for home, mournful and with his head covered.(K) 13 Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends(L) everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai is Jewish, and you have begun to fall before him, you won’t overcome him, because your downfall is certain.”(M) 14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs(N) arrived and rushed Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.(O)
The Gospel of God for Rome
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle[a](A) and set apart(B) for the gospel of God(C)— 2 which he promised beforehand(D) through his prophets(E) in the Holy Scriptures— 3 concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David[b](F) according to the flesh(G) 4 and was appointed to be the powerful(H) Son of God(I) according to the Spirit of holiness[c] by the resurrection of the dead. 5 Through him we have received grace and apostleship(J) to bring about[d] the obedience(K) of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles,[e](L) 6 including you who are also called by Jesus Christ.(M)
7 To all who are in Rome, loved by God,(N) called(O) as saints.(P)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s Desire to Visit Rome
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith[f] is being reported in all the world.(Q) 9 God is my witness,(R) whom I serve with my spirit(S) in telling the good news about his Son—that I constantly mention you,(T) 10 always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you.(U) 11 For I want very much to see you,(V) so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
13 Now I don’t want you to be unaware,(W) brothers and sisters, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now(X)) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry[g] among you,(Y) just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians,[h](Z) both to the wise and the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel(AA) to you also who are in Rome.
The Righteous Will Live by Faith
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel,[i](AB) because it is the power of God for salvation(AC) to everyone who believes, first to the Jew,(AD) and also to the Greek.(AE) 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith,[j](AF) just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.[k][l](AG)
The Guilt of the Gentile World
18 For God’s wrath(AH) is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,(AI) 19 since what can be known[m] about God is evident among them,(AJ) because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world,(AK) being understood through what he has made.(AL) As a result, people are without excuse. 21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened.(AM) 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools(AN) 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.(AO)
24 Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts(AP) to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie,(AQ) and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever.(AR) Amen.
From Idolatry to Depravity
26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions.(AS) Their women[n] exchanged natural sexual relations[o] for unnatural ones. 27 The men[p] in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men(AT) and received in their own persons[q] the appropriate penalty of their error.
28 And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a corrupt mind so that they do what is not right. 29 They are filled with all unrighteousness,[r] evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,(AU) 30 slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful,(AV) inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,(AW) 31 senseless, untrustworthy, unloving,[s](AX) and unmerciful. 32 Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die[t](AY)—they not only do them, but even applaud[u](AZ) others who practice them.
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