M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Egyptian Cattle Die
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “(A)Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 For (B)if you refuse to let them go and [a]continue to hold them, 3 behold, (C)the hand of the Lord [b]will come with a very severe pestilence on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks. 4 (D)But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that (E)nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.”’” 5 The Lord set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” 6 So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and (F)all the livestock of Egypt died; (G)but of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died. 7 Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead. But (H)the heart of Pharaoh was [c]hardened, and he did not let the people go.
The Plague of Boils
8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of soot from a kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and will become (I)boils breaking out with sores on man and beast through all the land of Egypt.” 10 So they took soot from a kiln, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils breaking out with sores on man and beast. 11 (J)The [d]magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians [e]as well as on all the Egyptians. 12 And (K)the Lord [f]hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(L)Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, “(M)Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 14 For this time I will send all My plagues [g]on you and your servants and your people, so that (N)you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. 15 For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth. 16 But, indeed, (O)for this reason I have allowed you to [h]remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth. 17 Still you exalt yourself against My people [i]by not letting them go.
The Plague of Hail
18 Behold, about this time tomorrow, (P)I will [j]send a very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded [k]until now. 19 Now therefore send, bring (Q)your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. (R)Every man and beast that is found in the field and is not brought home, when the hail comes down on them, will die.”’” 20 (S)The one among the servants of Pharaoh who [l]feared the word of the Lord made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses; 21 but he who [m]paid no regard to the word of the Lord [n]left his servants and his livestock in the field.
22 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that [o](T)hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on man and on beast and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” 23 Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and the Lord [p]sent [q]thunder and (U)hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire [r]flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very severe, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 (V)The hail struck all that was in the field through all the land of Egypt, both man and beast; the hail also struck every plant of the field and shattered every tree of the field. 26 (W)Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail.
27 Then Pharaoh [s](X)sent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “(Y)I have sinned this time; the Lord is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones. 28 (Z)Make supplication to the Lord, for there has been enough of God’s [t]thunder and hail; and (AA)I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” 29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I go out of the city, I will (AB)spread out my [u]hands to the Lord; the [v]thunder will cease and there will be hail no longer, that you may know that (AC)the earth is the Lord’s. 30 (AD)But as for you and your servants, I know that (AE)you do not yet [w]fear [x]the Lord God.” 31 (Now the flax and the (AF)barley were [y]ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not [z]ruined, for they ripen late.) 33 (AG)So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his [aa]hands to the Lord; and the [ab]thunder and the hail ceased, and rain [ac]no longer poured on the earth. 34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the [ad]thunder had ceased, he sinned again and [ae]hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 Pharaoh’s heart was [af]hardened, and he did not let the sons of Israel go, just as the (AH)Lord had spoken through Moses.
God Knows and Cares
12 Under these circumstances, after [a]so many thousands of [b]people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “(A)Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 (B)But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 3 Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have [c]whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon (C)the housetops.
4 “I say to you, (D)My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will [d]warn you whom to fear: (E)fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into [e](F)hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! 6 Are not (G)five sparrows sold for two [f]cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 (H)Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
8 “And I say to you, everyone who (I)confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; 9 but (J)he who denies Me before men will be denied (K)before the angels of God. 10 (L)And everyone who [g]speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. 11 When they bring you before (M)the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not (N)worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; 12 for (O)the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Covetousness Denounced
13 Someone [h]in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “(P)Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then He said to them, “(Q)Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, (R)you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘(S)You fool! This very night [i](T)your soul is required of you; and (U)now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 So is the man who (V)stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
22 And He said to His disciples, “(W)For this reason I say to you, [j]do not worry about your [k]life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the (X)ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor (Y)barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! 25 And which of you by worrying can add a single [l](Z)hour to his [m]life’s span? 26 If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even (AA)Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? (AB)You men of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not (AC)keep worrying. 30 For [n]all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek His kingdom, and (AD)these things will be added to you. 32 (AE)Do not be afraid, (AF)little flock, for (AG)your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
33 “(AH)Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, (AI)an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. 34 For (AJ)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Be in Readiness
35 “[o](AK)Be dressed in (AL)readiness, and keep your lamps lit. 36 Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find (AM)on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that (AN)he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. 38 (AO)Whether he comes in the [p]second watch, or even in the [q]third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “(AP)But [r]be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be [s](AQ)broken into. 40 (AR)You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not [t]expect.”
41 Peter said, “Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or (AS)to everyone else as well?” 42 And (AT)the Lord said, “(AU)Who then is the faithful and sensible (AV)steward, whom his master will put in charge of his [u]servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that (AW)slave whom his [v]master finds so doing when he comes. 44 Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master [w]will be a long time in coming,’ and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; 46 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will (AX)receive many lashes, 48 but the one who did not (AY)know it, and committed deeds worthy of [x]a flogging, will receive but few. (AZ)From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.
Christ Divides Men
49 “I [y]have come to cast fire upon the earth; and [z]how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a (BA)baptism to [aa]undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51 (BB)Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, (BC)father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 And He was also saying to the crowds, “(BD)When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out. 55 And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a (BE)hot day,’ and it turns out that way. 56 You hypocrites! (BF)You know how to analyze the appearance of the earth and the sky, but [ab]why do you not analyze this present time?
57 “And (BG)why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right? 58 For (BH)while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to [ac]settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last [ad](BI)cent.”
Job Affirms His Righteousness
27 Then Job [a]continued his (A)discourse and said,
2 “As God lives, (B)who has taken away my right,
And the Almighty, (C)who has embittered my soul,
3 For as long as [b]life is in me,
And the [c](D)breath of God is in my nostrils,
4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly,
Nor will (E)my tongue mutter deceit.
5 “Far be it from me that I should declare you right;
Till I die (F)I will not put away my integrity from me.
6 “I (G)hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go.
My heart does not reproach any of my days.
The State of the Godless
7 “May my enemy be as the wicked
And [d]my opponent as the unjust.
8 “For what is (H)the hope of the godless [e]when he is cut off,
When God requires (I)his [f]life?
9 “Will God (J)hear his cry
When (K)distress comes upon him?
10 “Will he take (L)delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
11 “I will instruct you in the [g]power of God;
What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 “Behold, all of you have seen it;
Why then do you [h]act foolishly?
13 “This is (M)the portion of a wicked man from God,
And the inheritance which (N)tyrants receive from the Almighty.
14 “Though his sons are many, [i]they are destined (O)for the sword;
And his (P)descendants will not be satisfied with bread.
15 “His survivors will be buried because of the plague,
And [j]their (Q)widows will not be able to weep.
16 “Though he piles up silver like dust
And prepares garments as plentiful as the clay,
17 He may prepare it, (R)but the just will wear it
And the innocent will divide the silver.
18 “He has built his (S)house like the [k]spider’s web,
Or as a hut which the watchman has made.
19 “He lies down rich, but never [l]again;
He opens his eyes, and (T)it is no longer.
20 “(U)Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest steals him away (V)in the night.
21 “The east (W)wind carries him away, and he is gone,
For it whirls him (X)away from his place.
22 “For it will hurl at him (Y)without sparing;
He will surely try to (Z)flee from its [m]power.
23 “Men will clap their hands at him
And will (AA)hiss him from his place.
The Excellence of Love
13 If I speak with the (A)tongues of men and of (B)angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a (C)clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of (D)prophecy, and know all (E)mysteries and all (F)knowledge; and if I have (G)all faith, so as to (H)remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I (I)give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I (J)surrender my body [a]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love (K)is patient, love is kind and (L)is not jealous; love does not brag and is not (M)arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it (N)does not seek its own, is not provoked, (O)does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 (P)does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but (Q)rejoices with the truth; 7 [b](R)bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of [c](S)prophecy, they will be done away; if there are (T)tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we (U)know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I [d]became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we (V)see in a mirror [e]dimly, but then (W)face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also (X)have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the [f]greatest of these is (Y)love.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.