M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Song of Moses and Miriam
15 Here is the song that Moses and the people of Israel sang to the Lord. They said,
“I will sing to the Lord.
He is greatly honored.
He has thrown Pharaoh’s horses and chariot drivers
into the Red Sea.
2 The Lord gives me strength and protects me.
He has saved me.
He is my God, I will praise him.
He is my father’s God, and I will honor him.
3 The Lord goes into battle.
The Lord is his name.
4 He has thrown Pharaoh’s chariots and army
into the Red Sea.
Pharaoh’s best officers
drowned in the sea.
5 The deep waters covered them.
They sank to the bottom like a stone.
6 “Lord, your right hand
was majestic and powerful.
Lord, your right hand
destroyed your enemies.
7 Because of your great majesty,
you threw down those who opposed you.
Your burning anger blazed out.
It burned them up like straw.
8 The powerful blast from your nose
piled up the waters.
The rushing waters stood firm like a wall.
The deep waters stood up in the middle of the sea.
9 “Your enemies bragged,
‘We will chase Israel and will catch them.
We’ll divide up what we take from them.
We’ll eat them alive.
We’ll pull our swords out.
Our powerful hands will destroy them.’
10 But you blew with your breath.
The Red Sea covered your enemies.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
11 “Lord, who among the gods is like you?
Who is like you?
You are majestic and holy.
Your glory fills me with wonder.
You do amazing things.
12 You reach out your right hand.
The earth swallows up your enemies.
13 “Because your love is faithful,
you will lead the people you have set free.
Because you are so strong,
you will guide them to the holy place where you live.
14 The nations will hear about it and tremble.
Pain and suffering will take hold of the Philistines.
15 The chiefs of Edom will be terrified.
The leaders of Moab will tremble with fear.
The people of Canaan will melt away.
16 Fear and terror will fall on them.
Your powerful arm
will make them as still as a stone.
Then your people will pass by, Lord.
Then the people you created will pass by.
17 You will bring them in.
You will plant them on the mountain you gave them.
Lord, you have made that place your home.
Lord, your hands have made your holy place secure.
18 “The Lord rules
for ever and ever.”
19 Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the Red Sea. The Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the people of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground. 20 Aaron’s sister Miriam was a prophet. She took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her. They played tambourines and danced. 21 Miriam sang to them,
“Sing to the Lord.
He is greatly honored.
He has thrown Pharaoh’s horses and chariot drivers
into the Red Sea.”
The Waters of Marah and Elim
22 Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea. They went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert. They didn’t find any water there. 23 When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink its water. It was bitter. That’s why the place is named Marah. 24 The people told Moses they weren’t happy with him. They said, “What are we supposed to drink?”
25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord. The Lord showed him a stick. Moses threw it into the water. The water became fit to drink.
There the Lord gave a ruling and instruction for the people. And there he tested them. 26 He said, “I am the Lord your God. Listen carefully to me. Do what is right in my eyes. Pay attention to my commands. Obey all my rules. If you do, I will not send on you any of the sicknesses I sent on the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you.”
27 The people came to Elim. It had 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there near the water.
The Story of the Widow Who Would Not Give Up
18 Jesus told his disciples a story. He wanted to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said, “In a certain town there was a judge. He didn’t have any respect for God or care about what people thought. 3 A widow lived in that town. She came to the judge again and again. She kept begging him, ‘Make things right for me. Someone is treating me badly.’
4 “For some time the judge refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t have any respect for God. I don’t care about what people think. 5 But this widow keeps bothering me. So I will see that things are made right for her. If I don’t, she will someday come and attack me!’ ”
6 The Lord said, “Listen to what the unfair judge says. 7 God’s chosen people cry out to him day and night. Won’t he make things right for them? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, God will see that things are made right for them. He will make sure it happens quickly. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who have faith?”
The Story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 Jesus told a story to some people who were sure they were right with God. They looked down on everyone else. 10 He said to them, “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee. The other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed. ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people,’ he said. ‘I am not like robbers or those who do other evil things. I am not like those who commit adultery. I am not even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. And I give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood farther away than the Pharisee. He would not even look up to heaven. He brought his hand to his heart and prayed. He said, ‘God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner.’
14 “I tell you, the tax collector went home accepted by God. But not the Pharisee. All those who lift themselves up will be made humble. And those who make themselves humble will be lifted up.”
Little Children Are Brought to Jesus
15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on the babies. When the disciples saw this, they told the people to stop. 16 But Jesus asked the children to come to him. “Let the little children come to me,” he said. “Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to people like them. 17 What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.”
Rich People and the Kingdom of God
18 A certain ruler asked Jesus a question. “Good teacher,” he said, “what must I do to receive eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good except God. 20 You know what the commandments say. ‘Do not commit adultery. Do not commit murder. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness. Honor your father and mother.’ ” (Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20)
21 “I have obeyed all those commandments since I was a boy,” the ruler said.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You are still missing one thing. Sell everything you have. Give the money to those who are poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
23 When the ruler heard this, he became very sad. He was very rich. 24 Jesus looked at him. Then he said, “How hard it is for rich people to enter God’s kingdom! 25 Is it hard for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It is even harder for someone who is rich to enter God’s kingdom!”
26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus replied, “Things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
28 Peter said to him, “We have left everything we had in order to follow you!”
29 “What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus said to them. “Has anyone left home or wife or husband or brothers or sisters or parents or children for God’s kingdom? 30 They will receive many times as much in this world. In the world to come they will receive eternal life.”
Jesus Speaks a Third Time About His Coming Death
31 Jesus took the 12 disciples to one side. He told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will make fun of him. They will laugh at him and spit on him. 33 They will whip him and kill him. On the third day, he will rise from the dead!”
34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them. So they didn’t know what Jesus was talking about.
A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight
35 Jesus was approaching Jericho. A blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. 36 The blind man heard the crowd going by. He asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 So the blind man called out, “Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
39 Those who led the way commanded him to stop. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David! Have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When the man came near, Jesus spoke to him. 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“Lord, I want to be able to see,” the blind man replied.
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you.” 43 Right away he could see. He followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
33 “Job, listen now to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say.
2 I’m about to open my mouth.
My words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 What I say comes from an honest heart.
My lips speak only what I know is true.
4 The Spirit of God has made me.
The breath of the Mighty One gives me life.
5 So answer me if you can.
Stand up and argue your case in front of me.
6 To God I’m just the same as you.
I too am a piece of clay.
7 You don’t have to be afraid of me.
My hand won’t be too heavy on you.
8 “But I heard what you said.
And here are the exact words I heard.
9 You said, ‘I’m pure. I have done no wrong.
I’m clean. I’m free from sin.
10 But God has found fault with me.
He thinks I’m his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in chains.
He watches every step I take.’
12 “But I’m telling you that you aren’t right when you talk like that.
After all, God is greater than any human being.
13 Why do you claim that God
never answers anybody’s questions?
14 He speaks in one way and then another.
But we do not even realize it.
15 He might speak in a dream or in a vision at night.
That’s when people are sound asleep in their beds.
16 He might speak in their ears.
His warnings might terrify them.
17 He warns them in order to turn them away from sinning.
He wants to keep them from being proud.
18 He wants to stop them from going down into the grave.
He doesn’t want them to be killed by swords.
19 Someone might be punished by suffering in bed.
The pain in their bones might never go away.
20 They might feel so bad they can’t eat anything.
They might even hate the finest food.
21 Their body might waste away to nothing.
Their bones might have been hidden.
But now they stick out.
22 They might approach the very edge of the grave.
The messengers of death might come for them.
23 “But suppose there is an angel who will speak up for him.
The angel is very special. He’s one out of a thousand.
He will tell that person how to do what is right.
24 That angel will be gracious to them. He’ll say to God,
‘Spare them from going down into the grave.
I know a way that can set them free.’
25 Then their body is made like new again.
They become as strong and healthy as when they were young.
26 Then that person can pray to God and be blessed by him.
They will see God’s face and shout for joy.
God will make them well and happy again.
27 Then that person will come to others and say,
‘I sinned. I made what is wrong appear to be right.
But I wasn’t punished as I should have been.
28 God has set me free. He has kept me from going down into the darkness of the grave.
So I’ll live to enjoy the light of life.’
29 “God does all these things to people.
In fact, he does them again and again.
30 He wants to stop people from going down into the darkness of the grave.
Then the light of life will shine on them.
31 “Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
Be quiet so I can speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak up. I want to help you be cleared of all charges.
33 But if you don’t have anything to say, listen to me.
Be quiet so I can teach you how to be wise.”
3 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Some people need letters that speak well of them. Do we need those kinds of letters, either to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter. You are written on our hearts. Everyone knows you and reads you. 3 You make it clear that you are a letter from Christ. You are the result of our work for God. You are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. You are a letter written not on tablets made out of stone but on human hearts.
4 Through Christ, we can be sure of this before God. 5 In ourselves we are not able to claim anything for ourselves. The power to do what we do comes from God. 6 He has given us the power to serve under a new covenant. The covenant is not based on the written Law of Moses. It comes from the Holy Spirit. The written Law kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The Greater Glory of the New Covenant
7 The Law was written in letters on stone. Even though it was a way of serving God, it led to death. But even that way of serving God came with glory. The glory lasted for only a short time. Even so, the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face very long. 8 Since all this is true, won’t the work of the Holy Spirit be even more glorious? 9 The law that condemns people to death had glory. How much more glory does the work of the Spirit have! His work makes people right with God. 10 The glory of the old covenant is nothing compared with the far greater glory of the new. 11 The glory of the old lasts for only a short time. How much greater is the glory of the new! It will last forever.
12 Since we have that kind of hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses. He used to cover his face with a veil. That was to keep the people of Israel from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made stubborn. To this day, the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. The veil has not been removed. Only faith in Christ can take it away. 15 To this day, when the Law of Moses is read, a veil covers the minds of those who hear it. 16 But when anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Holy Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is also there. 18 None of our faces are covered with a veil. All of us can see the Lord’s glory and think deeply about it. So we are being changed to become more like him so that we have more and more glory. And this glory comes from the Lord, who is the Holy Spirit.
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