M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Languages Confused
11 At this time the whole world spoke one language, and everyone used the same words. 2 As people ·moved [migrated] ·from the east [or eastward; 2:8; 4:16], they found a plain in the land of ·Babylonia [L Shinar] and settled there.
3 They said to each other, “Let’s make bricks and ·bake [burn; fire] them ·to make them hard [thoroughly; C in ancient times builders used mudbrick].” So they used bricks instead of stones, and ·tar [bitumen] instead of mortar. 4 Then they said to each other, “Let’s build a city and a tower for ourselves, whose top will reach high into ·the sky [heaven; C a ziggurat or stepped pyramid at whose top was a temple thought to be in heaven]. We will ·become famous [L make for ourselves a reputation/name]. Then we will not be scattered over all the earth.”
5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the ·people [L sons of man] had built. 6 The Lord said, “Now, these people are ·united [L one], all speaking ·the same [L one] language. This is only the beginning of what they will do. ·They will be able to do anything they want [L Nothing they want to do will be impossible for them]. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language [L there] so they will not be able to understand each other.”
8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they ·stopped [ceased] building the city. 9 The place is called Babel [C sounds like the Hebrew word for “confused”] since that is where the Lord confused the language of the whole world. So the Lord caused them to spread out from there over the whole world.
The Story of Shem’s Family
10 This is the ·family history [L book of the generations; 2:4] of Shem [9:18; 10:21–31]. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, his son Arphaxad [10:22] was born. 11 After that, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.
12 When Arphaxad was 35 years old, his son Shelah [10:24] was born. 13 After that, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
14 When Shelah was 30 years old, his son Eber [10:21, 24] was born. 15 After that, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
16 When Eber was 34 years old, his son Peleg [10:25] was born. 17 After that, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.
18 When Peleg was 30 years old, his son Reu was born. 19 After that, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.
20 When Reu was 32 years old, his son Serug was born. 21 After that, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.
22 When Serug was 30 years old, his son Nahor was born. 23 After that, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.
24 When Nahor was 29 years old, his son Terah was born. 25 After that, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.
26 After Terah was 70 years old, his sons Abram, Nahor, and Haran were born.
The Story of Terah’s Family
27 ·This is the family history [L These are the generations; 2:4] of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot. 28 While his father, Terah, was still alive, Haran died in Ur [C a major city in southern Mesopotamia] ·in Babylonia [L of the Chaldeans; C Chaldea was another name for Babylon], where he was born. 29 Abram and Nahor both ·married [L took wives]. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, who was the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai ·was not able to have children [was barren; had no children].
31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran’s son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai (Abram’s wife) and moved out of Ur of ·Babylonia [L the Chaldeans; 11:28]. They had planned to go to the land of Canaan, but when they reached the city of Haran [C a city in northern Syria], they settled there.
32 Terah lived to be 205 years old, and then he died in Haran.
Jesus Sends Out His Apostles(A)
10 Jesus called his twelve ·followers [disciples] together and gave them authority to drive [force; cast] out ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who ·turned against [betrayed] Jesus.
5 Jesus sent out these twelve men with the following ·order [instructions]: “Don’t go ·to [L on the way/road of] the ·Gentiles [non-Jewish people] or ·to [L enter] any town where the Samaritans live. 6 But go to the ·people of Israel, who are like lost sheep [L lost sheep of the house of Israel]. 7 When you go, ·preach [announce; proclaim] this: ‘The kingdom of heaven is ·near [at hand].’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead to life again, ·heal [L cleanse] ·those who have skin diseases [T the lepers; see 8:2], and ·force demons out of people [L cast out demons]. ·I give you these powers freely, so help other people freely [L Freely you have received, freely give]. 9 Don’t ·carry [or acquire] any money ·with you [L in your belts]—gold or silver or copper. 10 Don’t carry a ·bag [traveler’s bag; or beggar’s purse] or ·extra clothes [L two tunics] or sandals or a ·walking stick [staff]. Workers ·should be given what they need [deserve to be supported; L deserve their food/sustenance].
11 “When you enter a city or town, ·find [seek out] some ·worthy [honorable; respected] person there and stay in that home until you leave. 12 When you enter that home, ·give it your blessing [L greet it; C typically, “Peace be with you”; see Luke 10:5]. 13 If the ·people there welcome you [L house is worthy], let your peace ·stay there [L come upon it]. But if ·they don’t welcome you [L it is not worthy], ·take back the peace you wished for them [L let your peace return to you]. 14 And if ·a home or town [L anyone] refuses to welcome you or ·listen to you [heed your words/message], leave that ·place [L home or town] and shake its dust off your feet [C in protest and as a warning of judgment]. 15 I tell you the truth, on the judgment day it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for the ·towns [L land] of Sodom and Gomorrah [C evil cities destroyed by God; Gen. 19] than for the people of that town.
Jesus Warns His Apostles(B)
16 “·Listen [L Look; T Behold], I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as ·clever [wise; shrewd; cunning] as ·snakes [serpents] and as ·innocent [harmless] as doves. 17 ·Be careful of [Beware of; Watch out for] people, because they will ·arrest you and take you to court [hand you over to the courts/councils; C local councils associated with Jewish synagogues] and ·whip [flog; scourge] you in their synagogues. 18 ·Because of me [On my account; For my sake] you will be taken to stand before governors and kings, ·and you will tell them and the Gentiles about me [L as a witness/testimony to them and to the Gentiles]. 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about what to say or how to say it. [L For] At that time you will be given the things to say. 20 It will not really be you speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking ·through [in] you.
21 “Brothers will ·give [betray; hand over] their own brothers to ·be killed [death], and fathers will give their own children to ·be killed [death]. Children will ·fight [rebel; rise up] against their own parents and have them put to death. 22 All people will hate you because ·you follow me [L of my name], but those people who ·keep their faith [endure; stand firm; persevere] until the end will be saved. 23 When you are ·treated badly [persecuted] in one city, ·run [flee] to ·another city [the next]. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes [Dan. 7:13–14].
24 “A ·student [disciple; follower] is not ·better than [superior to; L above] his teacher, and a ·servant [slave] is not ·better than [superior to; L above] his ·master [lord]. 25 ·A student should be satisfied [L It is enough for a student/disciple/follower] to become like his teacher; ·a servant should be satisfied to become [L and a servant/slave] like his master. If the head of the family [C here referring to Jesus] is called Beelzebul [C another name for Satan], ·then the other members of the family will be called worse names [L how much more the members of his household]!
Fear God, Not People(C)
26 “So don’t be afraid of those people, because everything that is ·hidden [concealed; covered up] will be ·shown [revealed; uncovered; disclosed]. Everything that is ·secret [hidden] will be made ·known [clear]. 27 I tell you these things in the dark, but I want you to tell them in the ·light [daylight]. What you hear whispered in your ear you should ·shout [proclaim] from the housetops. 28 Don’t be afraid of people, who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. The only one you should fear is the one who can destroy [L both] the soul and the body in ·hell [L Gehenna; 5:22]. 29 Two sparrows are sold [L Are not two sparrows sold…?] for only a penny [C Greek: assarion; a copper coin of very low value], but not even one of them can ·die [L fall to the ground] ·without your Father’s knowing it [or apart from your Father’s will]. 30 God even ·knows [numbers; counts] how many hairs are on your head. 31 So don’t be afraid. You are ·worth much more [more valuable] than many sparrows.
32 “All those who ·stand before others and say they believe in me [L confess/acknowledge me before people], I will ·say before my Father in heaven that they belong to me [L confess/acknowledge them before my Father in heaven]. 33 But all who ·stand before others and say they do not believe in me [L deny/disown me before people] I will ·say before my Father in heaven that they do not belong to me [L also deny/disown them before my Father in heaven].
Divisions Within Households(D)
34 “Don’t ·think [suppose] that I came to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 [L For] I have come ·so that
‘a son will be [L to turn a man] against his father,
a daughter ·will be against [against] her mother,
a daughter-in-law ·will be against [against] her mother-in-law.
36 A person’s enemies will be members of his own ·family [household; Mic. 7:6].’
Conditions and Rewards of Discipleship(E)
37 “·Those who love [L The one who loves…] their father or mother more than they love me are not worthy ·to be my followers [L of me]. Those who love their son or daughter more than they love me are not worthy ·to be my followers [L of me]. 38 Whoever ·is not willing to carry the [L does not take up his] cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who ·try to hold on to [cling to; seek to preserve; L find] their lives will ·give up true life [lose them]. Those who ·give up [lose] their lives for ·me [my sake] will ·hold on to true life [L find them]. 40 Whoever ·accepts [receives; welcomes] you also ·accepts [receives; welcomes] me, and whoever ·accepts [receives; welcomes] me also ·accepts [receives; welcomes] the One who sent me. 41 Whoever ·accepts [receives; welcomes] a prophet ·because he is a prophet [L in the name of a prophet] will receive the ·reward of [same reward as] a prophet. And whoever ·accepts [receives; welcomes] a ·good [righteous; upright] person because that person is ·good [righteous; upright] will receive the ·reward of [same reward as] a ·good [righteous; upright] person. 42 Those who give one of these little ones [even; so much as] a cup of cold water because they are my ·followers [disciples] will ·truly get [L certainly not lose] their reward.”
The People Confess Sin
10 As Ezra was praying and confessing and crying and throwing himself down in front of the ·Temple [L house], a large group of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him who were also crying loudly. 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel the Elamite said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying women from the peoples around us. But even so, there is still hope for Israel. 3 Now let us make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] before our God. We will send away all these women and their children as you and those who ·respect [L tremble at] the commands of our God advise. Let it be done to obey God’s ·Teachings [Law; L Torah]. 4 Get up, Ezra. You are in charge, and we will support you. Have courage and do it.”
5 So Ezra got up and made the priests, Levites, and all the people of Israel promise to do what was suggested; and they promised. 6 Then Ezra left the ·Temple [L house] and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While Ezra was there, he did not eat or drink, because he was still sad about the unfaithfulness of the ·captives [exiles] who had returned.
7 They sent an order in Judah and Jerusalem for all the ·captives [exiles] who had returned to meet together in Jerusalem. 8 Whoever did not come to Jerusalem within three days would lose his property and would no longer be a member of the community of the returned ·captives [exiles]. That was the decision of the officers and elders.
9 So within three days all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month. All the men were sitting in the open place in front of the ·Temple [L house] and were upset because of the meeting and because it was raining. 10 Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married ·non-Jewish [L foreign] women. You have made Israel more guilty. 11 Now, confess it to the Lord, the God of your ·ancestors [fathers]. Do his will and separate yourselves from the people living around you and from your ·non-Jewish [L foreign] wives.”
12 Then the whole group answered Ezra with a loud voice, “Ezra, you’re right! We must do what you say. 13 But there are many people here, and it’s the rainy season. We can’t stand outside, and this problem can’t be solved in a day or two, because we have sinned badly. 14 Let our officers make a decision for the whole group. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a non-Jewish woman meet with the elders and judges of each town at a planned time, until the hot anger of our God turns away from us.” 15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel, Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, Meshullam, and Shabbethai the Levite were against the plan.
16 So the returned ·captives [exiles] did what was suggested. Ezra the priest chose men who were leaders of the family groups and named one from each family division. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to study each case. 17 By the first day of the first month, they had finished with all the men who had married non-Jewish women.
Those Guilty of Marrying Non-Jewish Women
18 These are the ·descendants [sons; C and so throughout this section] of the priests who had married foreign women:
From the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak [3:2] and Jeshua’s brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 (They all promised to ·divorce [send away; L put out] their wives, and each one brought a male sheep from the flock as a ·penalty [guilt; reparation] offering [Lev. 5:14—6:7].)
20 From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also called Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 Among the singers: Eliashib.
Among the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 And among the other Israelites, these married ·non-Jewish [L foreign] women:
From the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.
26 From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Macnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All these men had married ·non-Jewish [L foreign] women, and some of them had children by these wives.
Peter Teaches Cornelius
10 At Caesarea [C a coastal city, 25 miles south of Mount Carmel; a center of Roman government for Palestine] there was a man named Cornelius, ·an officer [L a centurion; C an officer in charge of about a hundred soldiers] in the Italian ·group of the Roman army [L cohort; regiment; C a cohort was about six hundred soldiers]. 2 Cornelius was a ·religious [pious; godly] man. He and all ·the other people who lived in his house [his household] ·worshiped the true God [L feared God; C “God-fearers” were Gentiles who worshiped the one true God of Israel]. He gave much of his money to ·the poor [or the Jewish people; L the people] and prayed to God often. 3 ·One afternoon about three o’clock [L About the ninth hour of the day], Cornelius clearly saw a vision. An angel of God came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Cornelius stared at the angel. He ·became afraid [was terrified] and said, “What do you want, ·Lord [or sir]?”
The angel said, “·God has heard your prayers. He has seen that you give to the poor, and he remembers you [L Your prayers and your alms have gone up to God as a memorial/memorial offering]. 5 Send some men now to Joppa [9:36] to bring back a man named Simon who is also called Peter. 6 He is staying [as a guest] with a man, ·also named Simon, who is a tanner [or named Simon Byrseus; 9:43] and has a house beside the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to Cornelius left, Cornelius called two of his ·servants [household slaves/servants] and a soldier, a ·religious [devout; pious; godly] man who ·worked for him [or was on his staff; or was loyal to him]. 8 Cornelius explained everything to them and sent them to Joppa.
9 About ·noon [L the sixth hour] the next day as they ·came near Joppa [L journeyed and drew near the city], Peter was going up to the roof [C in ancient Israel flat roofs were used as living spaces and for storage] to pray. 10 He was hungry and wanted to eat, but while the food was being prepared, he ·had a vision [or fell into a trance]. 11 He saw heaven opened and ·something [an object] coming down that looked like a big sheet being lowered to earth by its four corners. 12 In it were all kinds of ·animals [L four-footed creatures], reptiles, and birds [L of the air/sky]. 13 Then a voice said to Peter, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “·No [Absolutely not], Lord! I have never eaten food that is ·unholy [profane; common] or ·unclean [ritually defiled; C the OT food laws differentiated Israelites from Gentiles; Lev. 11; Ezek. 4:13–15].”
15 But the voice said to him again, “God has made these things clean, so don’t call them ·‘unholy’ [‘profane’; ‘common’]!” 16 This happened three times, and at once the ·sheet [L object; thing] was taken back to heaven.
17 While Peter was ·wondering [perplexed about] what this vision meant, [L look; T behold] the men Cornelius sent had found Simon’s house and were standing at the gate. 18 They asked, “Is ·Simon Peter [L Simon who is called Peter] staying [as a guest] here?”
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “·Listen [L Look; T Behold], three men are looking for you. 20 [So; L But] Get up and go downstairs. Go with them without ·doubting [or hesitation], because I have sent them to you.”
21 So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are ·looking [searching] for. Why did you come here?”
22 They said, “A holy angel spoke to Cornelius, ·an army officer [L a centurion] and a ·good [righteous] man; he ·worships [L fears] God. ·All the people [L The whole Jewish nation] ·respect [speak well of; L testify to] him. The angel told Cornelius to ask you to come to his house so that he can hear what you have to say.” 23 So Peter ·asked [invited] the men to come in and ·spend the night [L entertained them as guests; C an unusual gesture, since Jews would not normally invite Gentiles into their homes].
The next day Peter got ·ready [up] and went with them, and some of the ·followers [Jewish believers; L brothers] from Joppa joined him. 24 On the following day they came to Caesarea [10:1]. Cornelius was ·waiting for [expecting] them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him. 26 But Peter helped him up, saying, “Stand up. I too am only a ·human [mortal].” 27 As he talked with Cornelius, Peter went inside where he ·saw [L found] many people gathered. 28 He said, “You people understand that it is against our law for Jewish people to associate with or visit anyone who is a ·foreigner [Gentile]. But God has shown me that I should not call any person unholy [profane; common] or unclean [defiled]. 29 That is why I did not ·argue [object] when I was asked to come here. Now, please tell me why you sent for me.”
30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago [10:3], I was praying in my house at this same time—·three o’clock in the afternoon [L at the ninth hour]. Suddenly, there was a man standing before me wearing ·shining [dazzling] clothes. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and ·has seen that you give to the poor and remembers you [L your alms have been remembered by/before God]. 32 So send some men to Joppa and ask Simon [L who is called] Peter to come. Peter is staying [as a guest] in the house of a man, ·also named Simon, who is a tanner [or named Simon Byrseus; 9:43] and has a house beside the sea [see 10:5–6].’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was ·very good [kind] of you to come. Now we are all here ·before [in the presence of; or available to] God to hear everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
34 Peter ·began to speak [L opened his mouth]: “I ·really [truly] understand now that ·to God every person is the same [God does not show favoritism/partiality]. 35 [L But] In every ·country [nation] God accepts anyone who ·worships [L fears] him and ·does what is right [practices righteousness]. 36 You know the ·message [word] that God has sent to the people of Israel ·is the Good News that peace [announcing/proclaiming the Gospel of peace that] has come through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lord of all people [C both Jews and Gentiles]! 37 You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after John [C the Baptist] preached to the people about baptism [Luke 3]. 38 You know about Jesus from Nazareth, that God ·gave him [L anointed him with] the Holy Spirit and power. You know how Jesus went everywhere doing good and healing those who were ·ruled [oppressed] by the devil, because God was with him. 39 We ·saw [witnessed] what Jesus did in [L the region/country of] Judea and in Jerusalem, but ·the Jews in Jerusalem [L they] killed him by hanging him on a ·cross [L tree]. 40 Yet, on the third day, God raised Jesus ·to life [or from the dead] and caused him to be seen, 41 not by all the people, but only by the witnesses God had already chosen. And we are those witnesses who ate and drank with him after he was raised from the dead. 42 He ·told [commanded] us to preach to the people and to ·tell them [testify; bear witness] that he is the one whom God ·chose [appointed; determined] to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets ·say it is true [witnessed; testified] that all who believe in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins through Jesus’ name.”
44 While Peter was still saying ·this [L these words], the Holy Spirit ·came down [L fell] on all those who ·were listening [L heard the word/message]. 45 The ·Jewish [L circumcised] believers who came with Peter were ·amazed [astonished] that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been ·given [L poured out] even to the ·nations [Gentiles]. 46 [L For] ·These believers [L They] heard them speaking in different languages [L tongues; C either other languages or ecstatic utterance] and ·praising [magnifying] God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we did!” 48 So Peter ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
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