M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Joshua's Charge to Israel's Leaders

23 A long time afterwards, when the Lord had given ^(A)rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua ^(B)was old and well advanced in years, ² Joshua ^(C)summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. ³ And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, ^(D)for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you. ⁴ Behold, ^(E)I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. ⁵ The Lord your God ^(F)will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, ^(G)just as the Lord your God promised you. ⁶ Therefore, ^(H)be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, ^(I)turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, ^7 (J)that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you ^(K)or make mention of the names of their gods ^(L)or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, ^8 (M)but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day. ^9 (N)For the Lord has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, ^(O)no man has been able to stand before you to this day. ^10 (P)One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God ^(Q)who fights for you, just as he promised you. ^11 (R)Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. ¹² For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you ^(S)and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, ¹³ know for certain that ^(T)the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, ^(U)but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.

¹⁴ “And now ^(V)I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that ^(W)not one word has failed of all the good things^[a] that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. ¹⁵ But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you ^(X)all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the Lord your God has given you, ¹⁶ if you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.”

The Lame Beggar Healed

3 Now Peter and John were ^(A)going up to the temple at ^(B)the hour of prayer, ^(C)the ninth hour.^{[a] 2} And a man ^(D)lame from birth was being carried, ^(E)whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate ^(F)to ask alms of those entering the temple. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. ⁴ And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, ^(G)“I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. ^(H)In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ And ^(I)leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ And ^(J)all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks in Solomon's Portico

^11 (K)While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in ^(L)the portico called Solomon's. ¹² And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? ^13 (M)The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, ^(N)the God of our fathers, ^(O)glorified his servant^[b] Jesus, whom ^(P)you delivered over and ^(Q)denied in the presence of Pilate, ^(R)when he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ But you denied ^(S)the Holy and ^(T)Righteous One, and ^(U)asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵ and you killed ^(V)the Author of life, ^(W)whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. ¹⁶ And ^(X)his name—by ^(Y)faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is ^(Z)through Jesus^[c] has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

¹⁷ “And now, brothers, I know that ^(AA)you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸ But what God ^(AB)foretold ^(AC)by the mouth of all the prophets, that ^(AD)his Christ would ^(AE)suffer, he thus fulfilled. ^19 (AF)Repent therefore, and ^(AG)turn again, that ^(AH)your sins may be blotted out, ²⁰ that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ ^(AI)appointed for you, Jesus, ^21 (AJ)whom heaven must receive until the time for ^(AK)restoring all the things about which ^(AL)God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. ²² Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you ^(AM)a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen ^(AN)to him in whatever he tells you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet ^(AO)shall be destroyed from the people.’ ²⁴ And ^(AP)all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. ^25 (AQ)You are the sons of the prophets and of ^(AR)the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ^(AS)‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ ^26 (AT)God, ^(AU)having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, ^(AV)to bless you ^(AW)by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Jeremiah's Complaint

The Lord Answers Jeremiah

¹⁴ Thus says the Lord concerning all ^(AC)my evil neighbours ^(AD)who touch the heritage that ^(AE)I have given my people Israel to inherit: “Behold, I will pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. ¹⁵ And after I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them, ^(AF)and I will bring them again each to his heritage and each to his land. ¹⁶ And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, ^(AG)to swear by my name, ‘As the Lord lives’, even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, ^(AH)then they shall be built up in the midst of my people. ^17 (AI)But if any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, declares the Lord.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus

26 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ^2 (A)“You know that after two days ^(B)the Passover is coming, and ^(C)the Son of Man ^(D)will be delivered up to be crucified.”

^3 (E)Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in ^(F)the palace of the high priest, whose name was ^(G)Caiaphas, ^4 (H)and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. ⁵ But they said, “Not during the feast, ^(I)lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

^6 (J)Now when Jesus was at ^(K)Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,^{[a] 7} a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. ⁸ And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and ^(L)given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But ^(M)Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ For ^(N)you always have the poor with you, but ^(O)you will not always have me. ¹² In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it ^(P)to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever ^(Q)this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told ^(R)in memory of her.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

^14 (S)Then one of the twelve, whose name was ^(T)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they ^(U)paid him ^(V)thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he sought an opportunity ^(W)to betray him.

The Passover with the Disciples

^17 (X)Now on ^(Y)the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where would you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ^(Z)‘The Teacher says, ^(AA)My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” ¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

^20 (AB)When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.^{[b] 21} And as they were eating, ^(AC)he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” ²² And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” ²³ He answered, ^(AD)“He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man goes ^(AE)as it is written of him, but ^(AF)woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! ^(AG)It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” ²⁵ Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, ^(AH)Rabbi?” He said to him, ^(AI)“You have said so.”

Institution of the Lord's Supper

^26 (AJ)Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and ^(AK)after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; ^(AL)this is my body.” ²⁷ And he took a cup, and when he ^(AM)had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, ²⁸ for ^(AN)this is my ^(AO)blood of the^[c] covenant, which is poured out for ^(AP)many ^(AQ)for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you ^(AR)in my Father's kingdom.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

^30 (AS)And when they had sung a hymn, ^(AT)they went out to ^(AU)the Mount of Olives. ³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will ^(AV)strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ ³² But after I am raised up, ^(AW)I will go before you to Galilee.” ^33 (AX)Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” ^34 (AY)Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, ^(AZ)before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” ^35 (BA)Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

^36 (BB)Then Jesus went with them ^(BC)to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ And taking with him ^(BD)Peter and ^(BE)the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, ^(BF)“My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and ^(BG)watch^[d] with me.” ³⁹ And going a little farther he fell on his face ^(BH)and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let ^(BI)this cup pass from me; ^(BJ)nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” ⁴⁰ And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? ^41 (BK)Watch and ^(BL)pray that you ^(BM)may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ⁴² Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, ^(BN)your will be done.” ⁴³ And again he came and found them sleeping, for ^(BO)their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for ^(BP)the third time, saying the same words again. ⁴⁵ Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.^[e] See, ^(BQ)the hour is at hand, and ^(BR)the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

^47 (BS)While he was still speaking, ^(BT)Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” ⁴⁹ And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, ^(BU)Rabbi!” And he kissed him. ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, ^(BV)“Friend, ^(BW)do what you came to do.”^[f] Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. ⁵¹ And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his ^(BX)sword and struck the servant^[g] of the high priest and cut off his ear. ⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For ^(BY)all who take the sword will perish by the sword. ^53 (BZ)Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me ^(CA)more than twelve ^(CB)legions of angels? ^54 (CC)But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” ⁵⁵ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day ^(CD)I sat in the temple ^(CE)teaching, and you did not seize me. ⁵⁶ But ^(CF)all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” ^(CG)Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council

^57 (CH)Then ^(CI)those who had seized Jesus led him to ^(CJ)Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. ⁵⁸ And ^(CK)Peter was following him at a distance, as far as ^(CL)the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with ^(CM)the guards to see the end. ⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the whole Council^{[h] (CN)}were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, ⁶⁰ but they found none, ^(CO)though many false witnesses came forward. At last ^(CP)two came forward ⁶¹ and said, “This man said, ^(CQ)‘I am able to ^(CR)destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” ⁶² And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?”^{[i] 63 (CS)}But Jesus remained silent. ^(CT)And the high priest said to him, ^(CU)“I adjure you by ^(CV)the living God, ^(CW)tell us if you are ^(CX)the Christ, ^(CY)the Son of God.” ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him, ^(CZ)“You have said so. But I tell you, from now on ^(DA)you will see the Son of Man ^(DB)seated at the right hand of Power and ^(DC)coming on the clouds of heaven.” ⁶⁵ Then the high priest ^(DD)tore his robes and said, ^(DE)“He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What is your judgement?” They answered, ^(DF)“He deserves death.” ⁶⁷ Then ^(DG)they spat in his face ^(DH)and ^(DI)struck him. And some slapped him, ⁶⁸ saying, “Prophesy to us, you ^(DJ)Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

Peter Denies Jesus

^69 (DK)Now Peter was sitting outside ^(DL)in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” ⁷¹ And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus ^(DM)of Nazareth.” ⁷² And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” ⁷³ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for ^(DN)your accent betrays you.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the cock crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ^(DO)“Before the cock crows, you will ^(DP)deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.