M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Sarah’s Burial
23 Now Sarah lived 127 years; these were all the years of her life. 2 Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron(A)) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
3 Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites:[a] 4 “I am a foreign resident among you.(B) Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”[b](C)
5 The Hittites replied to Abraham,[c] 6 “Listen to us, lord.[d] You are God’s chosen one[e] among us. Bury your dead in our finest burial place.[f] None of us will withhold from you his burial place for burying your dead.”
7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 He said to them, “If you are willing for me to bury my dead, listen to me and ask Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf 9 to give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me in your presence, for the full price, as a burial place.”
10 Ephron was sitting among the Hittites. So in the presence[g] of all the Hittites who came to the gate of his city,(D) Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham: 11 “No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence[h] of my people. Bury your dead.”
12 Abraham bowed down to the people of the land 13 and said to Ephron in the presence[i] of the people of the land, “Please listen to me. Let me pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, and let me bury my dead there.”
14 Ephron answered Abraham and said to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me. Land worth 400 shekels of silver(E)—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had agreed to in the presence[j] of the Hittites: 400 shekels of silver at the current commercial rate.(F) 17 So Ephron’s field(G) at Machpelah near Mamre—the field with its cave and all the trees anywhere within the boundaries of the field—became 18 Abraham’s possession in the presence of all the Hittites who came to the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field with its cave passed from the Hittites to Abraham(H) as a burial place.
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
22 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: 2 “The kingdom of heaven(A) may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.(B) 3 He sent out his slaves to summon those invited to the banquet,(C) but they didn’t want to come. 4 Again, he sent out other slaves, and said, ‘Tell those who are invited: Look, I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’(D)
5 “But they paid no attention and went away, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the others seized his slaves, treated them outrageously and killed them. 7 The king[a] was enraged, so he sent out his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned down their city.
8 “Then he told his slaves, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.(E) 9 Therefore go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’(F) 10 So those slaves went out on the roads and gathered everyone they found, both evil and good. The wedding banquet was filled with guests.[b] 11 But when the king came in to view the guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed for a wedding.(G) 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend,(H) how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot,[c] and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(I)
God and Caesar
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap Him by what He said.[d](J) 16 They sent their disciples to Him, with the Herodians.(K) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You defer to no one, for You don’t show partiality.[e](L) 17 Tell us, therefore, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar(M) or not?”
18 But perceiving their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin used for the tax.” So they brought Him a denarius. 20 “Whose image and inscription is this?” He asked them.
21 “Caesar’s,” they said to Him.
Then He said to them, “Therefore give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”(N) 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.
The Sadducees and the Resurrection
23 The same day some Sadducees,(O) who say there is no resurrection, came up to Him and questioned Him:(P) 24 “Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.(Q)[f] 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same happened to the second also, and the third, and so to all seven.[g] 27 Then last of all the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her.”[h]
29 Jesus answered them, “You are deceived, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like[i] angels in heaven.(R) 31 Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: 32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?(S)[j] He[k] is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”
33 And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
The Primary Commands
34 When(T) the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him:(U) 36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”[l]
37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.(V)[m] 38 This is the greatest and most important[n] command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.(W)[o] 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend[p] on these two commands.”(X)
The Question about the Messiah
41 While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,(Y) 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose Son is He?”
“David’s,” they told Him.
43 He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit,[q] calls Him ‘Lord’(Z):
44 The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at My right hand
until I put Your enemies under Your feet’?[r](AA)[s]
45 “If David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how then can the Messiah be his Son?” 46 No one was able to answer Him at all,[t] and from that day no one dared to question Him anymore.(AB)
12 These(A) are the priests and Levites(B) who went up with Zerubbabel(C) son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo,(D) Ginnethoi, Abijah,(E)
5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,(F)
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua.(G)
8 The Levites:
Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel,
Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah(H)—
he and his relatives were in charge of the praise songs.
9 Bakbukiah, Unni,[a] and their relatives stood opposite them in the services.
10 Jeshua fathered Joiakim,
Joiakim fathered Eliashib,
Eliashib(I) fathered Joiada,
11 Joiada fathered Jonathan,
and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.[b]
12 In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were:
| Meraiah | of Seraiah, |
| Hananiah | of Jeremiah, |
| 13 Meshullam | of Ezra, |
| Jehohanan | of Amariah, |
| 14 Jonathan | of Malluchi, |
| Joseph | of Shebaniah, |
| 15 Adna | of Harim, |
| Helkai | of Meraioth, |
| 16 Zechariah | of Iddo, |
| Meshullam | of Ginnethon, |
| 17 Zichri | of Abijah, |
| Piltai | of Moadiah, of Miniamin, |
| 18 Shammua | of Bilgah, |
| Jehonathan | of Shemaiah, |
| 19 Mattenai | of Joiarib, |
| Uzzi | of Jedaiah, |
| 20 Kallai | of Sallai, |
| Eber | of Amok, |
| 21 Hashabiah | of Hilkiah, |
| and Nethanel | of Jedaiah. |
22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the leaders of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded while Darius the Persian ruled. 23 Levi’s descendants, the leaders of families, were recorded in the Book of the Historical Records(J) during the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 24 The leaders of the Levites—Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their relatives opposite them—gave praise and thanks, division by division, as David the man of God had prescribed.(K) 25 This included Mattaniah,(L) Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates.(M) 26 These served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor(N) and Ezra the priest and scribe.(O)
Dedication of the Wall
27 At the dedication of the wall(P) of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.(Q) 28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites,(R) 29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.(S)
31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate.(T) 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph followed 36 as well as his relatives—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God.(U) Ezra the scribe(V) went in front of them. 37 At the Fountain Gate(W) they climbed the steps of the city of David(X) on the ascent of the wall and went above the house of David to the Water Gate(Y) on the east.
38 The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens(Z) to the Broad Wall,(AA) 39 above the Gate of Ephraim,(AB) and by the Old Gate,(AC) the Fish Gate,(AD) the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate.(AE) They stopped at the Gate of the Guard.(AF) 40 The two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials accompanying me, 41 as well as the priests:
Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin,
Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah,
and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar,
Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer.
Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader. 43 On that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy.(AG) The women and children also celebrated, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away.(AH)
Support of the Levites’ Ministry
44 On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms(AI) that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths.(AJ) The legally required portions for the priests and Levites(AK) were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.(AL) 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers,(AM) as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.(AN) 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph,(AO) there were leaders[c] of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.(AP) 47 So in the days of Zerubbabel(AQ) and Nehemiah,(AR) all Israel contributed the daily portions(AS) for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions(AT) for the descendants of Aaron.
22 1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.” 2 When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter.(A) 3 He(B) continued, “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city[a] at the feet of Gamaliel(C) and educated according to the strict view of our patriarchal law. Being zealous for God, just as all of you are today,(D) 4 I persecuted this Way(E) to the death, binding and putting both men and women in jail,(F) 5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. After I received letters from them to the brothers, I traveled to Damascus to bring those who were prisoners there to be punished in Jerusalem.(G)
Paul’s Testimony
6 “As(H) I was traveling and near Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
8 “I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’
“He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the One you are persecuting!’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light,[b] but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me.(I)
10 “Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’
“And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do.’
11 “Since I couldn’t see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.(J) 12 Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good reputation with all the Jews residing there,(K) 13 came and stood by me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And in that very hour I looked up and saw him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed(L) you to know His will, to see(M) the Righteous One,(N) and to hear the sound of His voice.[c] 15 For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard.(O) 16 And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins(P) by calling on His name.’(Q)
17 “After I came back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple complex, I went into a visionary state(R) 18 and saw Him telling me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me!’
19 “But I said, ‘Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in You imprisoned and beaten.(S) 20 And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing by and approving,[d] and I guarded the clothes of those who killed him.’(T)
21 “Then He said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”(U)
Paul’s Roman Protection
22 They listened to him up to this word. Then they raised their voices, shouting, “Wipe this person off the earth—it’s a disgrace for him to live!”(V)
23 As they were yelling and flinging aside their robes and throwing dust into the air,(W) 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, directing that he be examined with the scourge, so he could discover the reason they were shouting against him like this. 25 As they stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?”(X)
26 When the centurion heard this, he went and reported to the commander, saying, “What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
27 The commander came and said to him, “Tell me—are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes,” he said.
28 The commander replied, “I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul said.
29 Therefore, those who were about to examine him withdrew from him at once. The commander too was alarmed when he realized Paul was a Roman citizen and he had bound him.(Y)
Paul before the Sanhedrin
30 The next day, since he wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him[e] and instructed the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to convene.(Z) Then he brought Paul down and placed him before them.
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