M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Other Laws
21 “Here are the laws you must explain to the people of Israel.
Set Your Hebrew Servants Free
2 “Suppose you buy a Hebrew servant. He must serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, you must set him free. He does not have to pay anything. 3 If he does not have a wife when he comes, he must go free alone. But if he has a wife when he comes, she must go with him. 4 Suppose his master gives him a wife. And suppose she has sons or daughters by him. Then only the man will go free. The woman and her children will belong to her master.
5 “But suppose the servant says, ‘I love my master and my wife and children. I don’t want to go free.’ 6 Then his master must take him to the judges. His master must take him to the door or doorpost of his master’s house. His master must poke a hole through his servant’s earlobe into the door or doorpost. Then he will become his servant for life.
7 “Suppose a man sells his daughter as a servant. Then she can’t go free as male servants do. 8 But what if the master who has chosen her does not like her? Then he must let the man buy her back. He has no right to sell her to strangers. He has broken his promise to her. 9 What if he chooses her to marry his son? Then he must grant her the rights of a daughter. 10 What if her master marries another woman? He must still give the first one her food and clothes and sleep with her. 11 If he does not provide her with those three things, she can go free. She does not have to pay anything.
Laws About Harming Others
12 “Anyone who hits and kills someone else must be put to death. 13 Suppose they did not do it on purpose. Suppose I let it happen. Then they can escape to a place I will choose. 14 But suppose they kill someone on purpose. Then take them away from my altar and put them to death.
15 “Anyone who attacks their father or mother must be put to death.
16 “Anyone who kidnaps and sells another person must be put to death. If they still have the person with them when they are caught, they must be put to death.
17 “Anyone who asks for something bad to happen to their father or mother must be put to death.
18 “Suppose two people get into a fight and argue with each other. One hits the other with a stone or his fist. And the person who was hit does not die but has to stay in bed. 19 And later that person gets up and walks around outside with a walking stick. Then the person who hit the other person will not be held responsible. But that person must pay the one who was hurt for the time spent in bed. The one who hit the other person must be sure that person is completely healed.
20 “Suppose a person beats their male or female slave to death with a club. That person must be punished. 21 But they will not be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two. After all, the slave is their property.
22 “Suppose some people are fighting and one of them hits a pregnant woman. And suppose she has her baby early but is not badly hurt. Then the one who hurt her must pay a fine. That person must pay what the woman’s husband asks for and the court allows. 23 But if someone is badly hurt, a life must be taken for a life. 24 An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth. A hand must be cut off for a hand and a foot for a foot. 25 A burn must be given for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a bruise for a bruise.
26 “Suppose an owner hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it. Then the owner must let the slave go free to pay for the eye. 27 Suppose an owner knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave. Then he must let the slave go free to pay for the tooth.
28 “Suppose a bull kills a man or woman with its horns. Then you must kill the bull by throwing stones at it. Its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held accountable. 29 But suppose the bull has had the habit of attacking people. And suppose the owner has been warned but has not kept it fenced in. Then if it kills a man or woman, you must kill it with stones. The owner must also be put to death. 30 But suppose payment is required of him instead. Then the owner can save his life by paying what is required. 31 The same law applies if the bull wounds a son or daughter with its horns. 32 Suppose the bull wounds a male or female slave. Then the owner must pay the slave’s master about 12 ounces of silver. You must kill the bull with stones.
33 “Suppose someone uncovers a pit or digs one and does not cover it. And suppose an ox or donkey falls into it. 34 Then the person who opened the pit must pay the animal’s owner for the loss. The dead animal will belong to the person who opened the pit.
35 “Suppose someone’s bull wounds a neighbor’s bull and it dies. Then the owner and the neighbor must sell the live one. And they must share the money and the dead animal equally. 36 But suppose people knew that the bull had the habit of attacking. And suppose the owner did not keep it fenced in. Then the owner must give another animal to pay for the dead animal. And the dead animal will belong to the owner.
Jesus Rises From the Dead
24 It was very early in the morning on the first day of the week. The women took the spices they had prepared. Then they went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from it. 3 When they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 They were wondering about this. Suddenly two men in clothes as bright as lightning stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified. They bowed down with their faces to the ground. Then the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 Jesus is not here! He has risen! Remember how he told you he would rise. It was while he was still with you in Galilee. 7 He said, ‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day he will rise from the dead.’ ” 8 Then the women remembered Jesus’ words.
9 They came back from the tomb. They told all these things to the 11 apostles and to all the others. 10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them were the ones who told the apostles. 11 But the apostles did not believe the women. Their words didn’t make any sense to them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent over and saw the strips of linen lying by themselves. Then he went away, wondering what had happened.
On the Road to Emmaus
13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked about those things, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.
17 Jesus asked them, “What are you talking about as you walk along?”
They stood still, and their faces were sad. 18 One of them was named Cleopas. He said to Jesus, “Are you the only person visiting Jerusalem who doesn’t know? Don’t you know about the things that have happened there in the last few days?”
19 “What things?” Jesus asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet. He was powerful in what he said and did in the sight of God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed Jesus over to be sentenced to death. They nailed him to a cross. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to set Israel free. Also, it is the third day since all this happened. 22 Some of our women amazed us too. Early this morning they went to the tomb. 23 But they didn’t find his body. So they came and told us what they had seen. They saw angels, who said Jesus was alive. 24 Then some of our friends went to the tomb. They saw it was empty, just as the women had said. They didn’t see Jesus’ body there.”
25 Jesus said to them, “How foolish you are! How long it takes you to believe all that the prophets said! 26 Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and then receive his glory?” 27 Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures. He began with Moses and all the Prophets.
28 They approached the village where they were going. Jesus kept walking as if he were going farther. 29 But they tried hard to keep him from leaving. They said, “Stay with us. It is nearly evening. The day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 He joined them at the table. Then he took bread and gave thanks. He broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But then he disappeared from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “He explained to us what the Scriptures meant. Weren’t we excited as he talked with us on the road?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the 11 disciples and those with them. They were all gathered together. 34 They were saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen! He has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then the two of them told what had happened to them on the way. They told how they had recognized Jesus when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 The disciples were still talking about this when Jesus himself suddenly stood among them. He said, “May you have peace!”
37 They were surprised and terrified. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do you have doubts in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me! Touch me and see. A ghost does not have a body or bones. But you can see that I do.”
40 After he said that, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 But they still did not believe it. They were amazed and filled with joy. So Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of cooked fish. 43 He took it and ate it in front of them.
44 Jesus said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you. Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms must come true.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written. The Messiah will suffer. He will rise from the dead on the third day. 47 His followers will preach in his name. They will tell others to turn away from their sins and be forgiven. People from every nation will hear it, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You have seen these things with your own eyes. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised. But for now, stay in the city. Stay there until you have received power from heaven.”
Jesus Is Taken Up Into Heaven
50 Jesus led his disciples out to the area near Bethany. Then he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them. He was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him. With great joy, they returned to Jerusalem. 53 Every day they went to the temple, praising God.
39 “Job, do you know when mountain goats have their babies?
Do you watch when female deer give birth?
2 Do you count the months until the animals have their babies?
Do you know the time when they give birth?
3 They bend their back legs and have their babies.
Then their labor pains stop.
4 Their little ones grow strong and healthy in the wild.
They leave and do not come home again.
5 “Who let the wild donkeys go free?
Who untied their ropes?
6 I gave them the dry and empty land as their home.
I gave them salt flats to live in.
7 They laugh at all the noise in town.
They do not hear the shouts of the donkey drivers.
8 They wander over the hills to look for grass.
They search for anything green to eat.
9 “Job, will wild oxen agree to serve you?
Will they stay by your feed box at night?
10 Can you keep them in straight rows with harnesses?
Will they plow the valleys behind you?
11 Will you depend on them for their great strength?
Will you let them do your heavy work?
12 Can you trust them to haul in your grain?
Will they bring it to your threshing floor?
13 “The wings of ostriches flap with joy.
But they can’t compare with the wings and feathers of storks.
14 Ostriches lay their eggs on the ground.
They let them get warm in the sand.
15 They do not know that something might step on them.
A wild animal might walk all over them.
16 Ostriches are mean to their little ones.
They treat them as if they did not belong to them.
They do not care that their work was useless.
17 I did not provide ostriches with wisdom.
I did not give them good sense.
18 But when they spread their feathers to run,
they laugh at a horse and its rider.
19 “Job, do you give horses their strength?
Do you put flowing manes on their necks?
20 Do you make them jump like locusts?
They terrify others with their proud snorting.
21 They paw the ground wildly.
They are filled with joy.
They charge at their enemies.
22 They laugh at fear. They are not afraid of anything.
They do not run away from swords.
23 Many arrows rattle at their sides.
Flashing spears and javelins are also there.
24 They are so excited that they race over the ground.
They can’t stand still when trumpets are blown.
25 When they hear the trumpets they snort, ‘Aha!’
They catch the smells of battle far away.
They hear the shouts of commanders and the battle cries.
26 “Job, are you wise enough to teach hawks where to fly?
They spread their wings and fly toward the south.
27 Do you command eagles to fly so high?
They build their nests as high as they can.
28 They live on cliffs and stay there at night.
High up on the rocks they think they are safe.
29 From there they look for their food.
They can see it from far away.
30 Their little ones like to eat blood.
Eagles gather where they see dead bodies.”
9 I don’t need to write to you about giving to the Lord’s people. 2 I know how much you want to help. I have been bragging about it to the people in Macedonia. I have been telling them that since last year you who live in Achaia were ready to give. You are so excited that it has stirred up most of them to take action. 3 But I am sending the brothers. Then our bragging about you in this matter will have a good reason. You will be ready, just as I said you would be. 4 Suppose people from Macedonia come with me and find out that you are not prepared. Then we, as well as you, would be ashamed of being so certain. 5 So I thought I should try to get the brothers to visit you ahead of time. They will finish the plans for the large gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a gift freely given. It will not be given by force.
Paul’s Advice to Give Freely
6 Here is something to remember. The one who plants only a little will gather only a little. And the one who plants a lot will gather a lot. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. You shouldn’t give if you don’t want to. You shouldn’t give because you are forced to. God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to shower all kinds of blessings on you. So in all things and at all times you will have everything you need. You will do more and more good works. 9 It is written,
“They have spread their gifts around to poor people.
Their good works continue forever.” (Psalm 112:9)
10 God supplies seed for the person who plants. He supplies bread for food. God will also supply and increase the amount of your seed. He will increase the results of your good works. 11 You will be made rich in every way. Then you can always give freely. We will take your many gifts to the people who need them. And they will give thanks to God.
12 Your gifts meet the needs of the Lord’s people. And that’s not all. Your gifts also cause many people to thank God. 13 You have shown yourselves to be worthy by what you have given. So other people will praise God because you obey him. That proves that you really believe the good news about Christ. They will also praise God because you share freely with them and with everyone else. 14 Their hearts will be filled with love for you when they pray for you. God has given you grace that is better than anything. 15 Let us give thanks to God for his gift. It is so great that no one can tell how wonderful it really is!
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