M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Birth of Isaac Promised
18 Now (A)the Lord appeared to him by the [a](B)oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three (C)men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, 3 and said, “[b]My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not [c]pass Your servant by. 4 Please let a little water be brought and (D)wash your feet, and [d]rest yourselves under the tree; 5 and I will [e](E)bring a piece of bread, that you may [f]refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have [g]visited your servant.” And they said, “So do, as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “[h]Quickly, prepare three [i]measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.” 7 Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and [j]choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree [k]as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 He said, “(F)I will surely return to you [l]at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now (G)Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was (H)past [m]childbearing. 12 Sarah laughed [n]to herself, saying, “(I)After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my (J)lord being old also?” 13 And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed [o]bear a child, when I am so old?’ 14 (K)Is anything too [p]difficult for the Lord? At the (L)appointed time I will return to you, [q]at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16 Then (M)the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 17 (N)The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham (O)what I am about to do, 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and [r]mighty nation, and in him (P)all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 19 For I have [s](Q)chosen him, so that he may (R)command his children and his household after him to (S)keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham (T)what He has spoken about him.” 20 And the Lord said, “(U)The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21 I will (V)go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
22 Then (W)the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before (X)the Lord. 23 Abraham came near and said, “(Y)Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not [t]spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from You to do [u]such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not (Z)the Judge of all the earth [v]deal justly?” 26 So the Lord said, “(AA)If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will [w]spare the whole place on their account.” 27 And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have [x]ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but (AB)dust and ashes. 28 Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 He spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” 30 Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 And he said, “Now behold, I have [y]ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.” 32 Then he said, “(AC)Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.” 33 As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham (AD)the Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place.
The Transfiguration
17 (A)Six days later Jesus *took with Him (B)Peter and [a]James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, (C)I will make three [b]tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, (D)a voice out of the cloud said, “(E)This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell [c]face down to the ground and were terrified. 7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and (F)do not be afraid.” 8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
9 (G)As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “(H)Tell the vision to no one until (I)the Son of Man has (J)risen from the dead.” 10 And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that (K)Elijah must come first?” 11 And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did [d]to him whatever they wished. So also (L)the Son of Man is going to suffer [e]at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.
The Demoniac
14 (M)When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, 15 “[f]Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a [g](N)lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 17 And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured [h]at once.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” 20 And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, (O)if you have faith [i]the size of (P)a mustard seed, you will say to (Q)this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and (R)nothing will be impossible to you. 21 [[j](S)But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”]
22 (T)And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be [k]delivered into the hands of men; 23 and (U)they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved.
The Tribute Money
24 When they came to Capernaum, those who collected (V)the [l]two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay (W)the [m]two-drachma tax?” 25 He *said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect (X)customs or (Y)poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are [n]exempt. 27 However, so that we do not [o](Z)offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find [p]a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”
Census of First Returned Exiles
7 Now when (A)the wall was rebuilt and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2 then I put (B)Hanani my brother, and (C)Hananiah the commander of (D)the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was (E)a faithful man and feared God more than many. 3 Then I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.” 4 Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.
5 (F)Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first [a]in which I found the following record:
6 (G)These are the [b]people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, 7 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, [c]Azariah, [d]Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, [e]Mispereth, Bigvai, [f]Nehum, Baanah.
The number of men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172; 9 the sons of Shephatiah, 372; 10 the sons of Arah, 652; 11 the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818; 12 the sons of Elam, 1,254; 13 the sons of Zattu, 845; 14 the sons of Zaccai, 760; 15 the sons of [g]Binnui, 648; 16 the sons of Bebai, 628; 17 the sons of Azgad, 2,322; 18 the sons of Adonikam, 667; 19 the sons of Bigvai, 2,067; 20 the sons of Adin, 655; 21 the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98; 22 the sons of Hashum, 328; 23 the sons of Bezai, 324; 24 the sons of [h]Hariph, 112; 25 the sons of [i]Gibeon, 95; 26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188; 27 the men of Anathoth, 128; 28 the men of [j]Beth-azmaveth, 42; 29 the men of [k]Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; 30 the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; 31 the men of Michmas, 122; 32 the men of Bethel and Ai, 123; 33 the men of the other Nebo, 52; 34 the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; 35 the sons of Harim, 320; 36 the [l]men of Jericho, 345; 37 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721; 38 the sons of Senaah, 3,930.
39 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; 40 the sons of Immer, 1,052; 41 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; 42 the sons of Harim, 1,017.
43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of [m]Hodevah, 74. 44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.
46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47 the sons of Keros, the sons of [n]Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, 49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of [o]Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of [p]Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
57 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of [q]Sophereth, the sons of [r]Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of [s]Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.
61 These were they who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, [t]Addon and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses or their [u]descendants, whether they were of Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Of the priests: the sons of [v]Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them. 64 These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. 65 (H)The [w]governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with (I)Urim and Thummim.
Total of People and Gifts
66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and their female servants, [x]of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. 68 [y](J)Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; 69 their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.
70 Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The [z](K)governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests’ garments. 71 Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. 72 That which the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000 silver minas and 67 priests’ garments.
73 Now (L)the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants and all Israel, lived in their cities.
(M)And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.
Paul at Thessalonica
17 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to (A)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And (B)according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three (C)Sabbaths reasoned with them from (D)the Scriptures, 3 [a]explaining and [b]giving evidence that the [c]Christ (E)had to suffer and (F)rise again from the dead, and saying, “(G)This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the [d]Christ.” 4 (H)And some of them were persuaded and joined (I)Paul and Silas, [e]along with a large number of the (J)God-fearing (K)Greeks and [f]a number of the (L)leading women. 5 But (M)the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of (N)Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began (O)dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset [g](P)the world have come here also; 7 [h]and Jason (Q)has welcomed them, and they all act (R)contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a [i]pledge from (S)Jason and the others, they released them.
Paul at Berea
10 (T)The brethren immediately sent (U)Paul and Silas away by night to (V)Berea, [j]and when they arrived, they went into (W)the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in (X)Thessalonica, [k]for they received the word with [l]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore (Y)many of them believed, [m]along with a number of (Z)prominent Greek (AA)women and men. 13 But when the Jews of (AB)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in (AC)Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then immediately (AD)the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and (AE)Silas and (AF)Timothy remained there. 15 Now (AG)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as (AH)Athens; and receiving a command for (AI)Silas and Timothy to (AJ)come to him as soon as possible, they left.
Paul at Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at (AK)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning (AL)in the synagogue with the Jews and (AM)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were [n]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would (AN)this [o]idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching (AO)Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they (AP)took him and brought him [p]to the [q](AQ)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what (AR)this new teaching is [r]which you are proclaiming? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers (AS)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)
Sermon on Mars Hill
22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [s]Areopagus and said, “Men of (AT)Athens, I observe that you are very (AU)religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the (AV)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what (AW)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 (AX)The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is (AY)Lord of heaven and earth, does not (AZ)dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, (BA)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and (BB)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having (BC)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, (BD)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (BE)in Him we live and move and [t]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 Being then the children of God, we (BF)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 Therefore having (BG)overlooked (BH)the times of ignorance, God is (BI)now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed (BJ)a day in which (BK)He will judge [u](BL)the world in righteousness [v]through a Man whom He has (BM)appointed, having furnished proof to all men [w]by (BN)raising Him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of (BO)the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you [x]again concerning this.” 33 So Paul went out of their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the (BP)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
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