M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Golden Calf
32 Now when the people saw that Moses (A)delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, (B)make us [a]a god who will go before us; as for (C)this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 Aaron said to them, “(D)Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a (E)molten calf; and they said, “[b]This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” 6 So the next day they rose early and (F)offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and (G)the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up (H)to play.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go [c]down at once, for your people, whom (I)you brought up from the land of Egypt, have (J)corrupted themselves. 8 They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. (K)They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and (L)have sacrificed to it and said, ‘[d](M)This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” 9 (N)The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are [e](O)an obstinate people. 10 Now then (P)let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and (Q)I will make of you a great nation.”
Moses’ Entreaty
11 Then (R)Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should (S)the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You (T)swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will (U)multiply your [f]descendants as the stars of the heavens, and (V)all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your [g]descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 (W)So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.
15 (X)Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, (Y)tablets which were written on both [h]sides; they were written on one side and the other. 16 The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing engraved on the tablets. 17 Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people [i]as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.” 18 But he said,
“It is not the sound of the cry of triumph,
Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat;
But the sound of singing I hear.”
Moses’ Anger
19 It came about, as soon as [j]Moses came near the camp, that (Z)he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and (AA)he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them [k]at the foot of the mountain. 20 (AB)He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it.
21 Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?” 22 Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, (AC)that they are [l]prone to evil. 23 For (AD)they said to me, ‘Make [m]a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.’ So they gave it to me, and (AE)I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
25 Now when Moses saw that the people were [n]out of control—for Aaron had (AF)let them [o]get out of control to be a derision among [p]their enemies— 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him. 27 He said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his [q]neighbor.’” 28 So (AG)the sons of Levi did [r]as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, “[s]Dedicate yourselves today to the Lord—for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”
30 On the next day Moses said to the people, “(AH)You yourselves have [t]committed a great sin; and now I am going up to the Lord, perhaps I can (AI)make atonement for your sin.” 31 Then Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Alas, this people has [u]committed a great sin, and they have made [v]a (AJ)god of gold for themselves. 32 But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your (AK)book which You have written!” 33 The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, (AL)I will blot him out of My book. 34 But go now, lead the people (AM)where I told you. Behold, (AN)My angel shall go before you; nevertheless (AO)in the day when I [w]punish, (AP)I will [x]punish them for their sin.” 35 (AQ)Then the Lord smote the people, because of (AR)what they did with the calf which Aaron had made.
The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus
11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of (A)Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister (B)Martha. 2 It was the Mary who (C)anointed (D)the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “(E)Lord, behold, (F)he whom You love is sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for (G)the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” 5 Now Jesus loved (H)Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He *said to the disciples, “(I)Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples *said to Him, “(J)Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking (K)to stone You, and are You going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “(L)Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our (M)friend Lazarus (N)has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” 12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will [a]recover.” 13 Now (O)Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of [b]literal sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” 16 (P)Therefore Thomas, who is called [c](Q)Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb (R)four days. 18 Now (S)Bethany was near Jerusalem, about [d]two miles off; 19 and many of (T)the Jews had come to (U)Martha and Mary, (V)to console them concerning their brother. 20 (W)Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but (X)Mary [e]stayed at the house. 21 Martha then said to Jesus, “(Y)Lord, (Z)if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that (AA)whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha *said to Him, “(AB)I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “(AC)I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me (AD)will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are [f](AE)the Christ, the Son of God, even [g](AF)He who comes into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she (AG)went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “(AH)The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she *got up quickly and was coming to Him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but (AI)was still in the place where Martha met Him. 31 (AJ)Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and (AK)consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “(AL)Lord, (AM)if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and (AN)the Jews who came with her also weeping, He (AO)was deeply moved in spirit and [h](AP)was troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They *said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus (AQ)wept. 36 So (AR)the Jews were saying, “See how He (AS)loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not this man, who (AT)opened the eyes of the blind man, [i]have kept this man also from dying?”
38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a (AU)cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time [j]there will be a stench, for he has been dead (AV)four days.” 40 Jesus *said to her, “(AW)Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the (AX)stone. Then Jesus (AY)raised His eyes, and said, “(AZ)Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 I knew that You always hear Me; but (BA)because of the [k]people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that (BB)You sent Me.” 43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” 44 The man who had died came forth, (BC)bound hand and foot with wrappings, and (BD)his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
45 (BE)Therefore many of the Jews (BF)who came to Mary, and (BG)saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the (BH)Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.
Conspiracy to Kill Jesus
47 Therefore (BI)the chief priests and the Pharisees (BJ)convened a (BK)council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many [l](BL)signs. 48 If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our (BM)place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, (BN)Caiaphas, (BO)who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you take into account that (BP)it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” 51 Now he did not say this [m]on his own initiative, but (BQ)being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also (BR)gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they (BS)planned together to kill Him.
54 Therefore Jesus (BT)no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called (BU)Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.
55 Now (BV)the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover (BW)to purify themselves. 56 So they (BX)were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now (BY)the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.
The Commendation of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom call,
And understanding [a]lift up her voice?
2 On top of (B)the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the (C)gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 “O [b](D)naive ones, understand prudence;
And, O (E)fools, understand [c]wisdom.
6 “Listen, for I will speak (F)noble things;
And the opening of my lips will reveal (G)right things.
7 “For my (H)mouth will utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 “All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing (I)crooked or perverted in them.
9 “They are all (J)straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who (K)find knowledge.
10 “Take my (L)instruction and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choicest gold.
11 “For wisdom is (M)better than [d]jewels;
And (N)all desirable things cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, (O)dwell with prudence,
And I find (P)knowledge and discretion.
13 “The (Q)fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
(R)Pride and arrogance and (S)the evil way
And the (T)perverted mouth, I hate.
14 “(U)Counsel is mine and (V)sound wisdom;
I am understanding, (W)power is mine.
15 “By me (X)kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 “By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.
17 “I (Y)love those who love me;
And (Z)those who diligently seek me will find me.
18 “(AA)Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring (AB)wealth and righteousness.
19 “My fruit is (AC)better than gold, even pure gold,
And my yield better than (AD)choicest silver.
20 “I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
21 To endow those who love me with wealth,
That I may (AE)fill their treasuries.
22 “The Lord possessed me (AF)at the beginning of His way,
Before His works [e]of old.
23 “From everlasting I was [f](AG)established,
From the beginning, (AH)from the earliest times of the earth.
24 “When there were no (AI)depths I was [g]brought forth,
When there were no springs abounding with water.
25 “(AJ)Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills I was [h]brought forth;
26 While He had not yet made the earth and the [i]fields,
Nor the first dust of the world.
27 “When He (AK)established the heavens, I was there,
When (AL)He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28 When He made firm the skies above,
When the springs of the deep became [j]fixed,
29 When (AM)He set for the sea its boundary
So that the water would not transgress His [k]command,
When He marked out (AN)the foundations of the earth;
30 Then (AO)I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,
[l]Rejoicing always before Him,
31 [m]Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having (AP)my delight in the sons of men.
32 “Now therefore, O sons, (AQ)listen to me,
For (AR)blessed are they who keep my ways.
33 “(AS)Heed instruction and be wise,
And do not neglect it.
34 “(AT)Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at my doorposts.
35 “For (AU)he who finds me finds life
And (AV)obtains favor from the Lord.
36 “But he who [n]sins against me (AW)injures himself;
All those who (AX)hate me (AY)love death.”
The Blessings of Redemption
1 Paul, (A)an apostle of (B)Christ Jesus [a](C)by the will of God,
To the [b](D)saints who are [c]at (E)Ephesus and (F)who are faithful in (G)Christ Jesus: 2 (H)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 (I)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in (J)the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as (K)He chose us in Him before (L)the foundation of the world, that we would be (M)holy and blameless before [d]Him. (N)In love 5 [e]He (O)predestined us to (P)adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, (Q)according to the [f]kind intention of His will, 6 (R)to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in (S)the Beloved. 7 (T)In [g]Him we have (U)redemption (V)through His blood, the (W)forgiveness of our trespasses, according to (X)the riches of His grace 8 which He [h]lavished on [i]us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He [j](Y)made known to us the mystery of His will, (Z)according to His [k]kind intention which He (AA)purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration [l]suitable to (AB)the fullness of the times, that is, (AC)the summing up of all things in Christ, things [m]in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 [n]also we [o](AD)have obtained an inheritance, having been (AE)predestined (AF)according to His purpose who works all things (AG)after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in [p]Christ would be (AH)to the praise of His glory. 13 In [q]Him, you also, after listening to (AI)the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also [r]believed, you were (AJ)sealed in [s]Him with (AK)the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is [t](AL)given as a pledge of (AM)our inheritance, with a view to the (AN)redemption of (AO)God’s own possession, (AP)to the praise of His glory.
15 For this reason I too, (AQ)having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and [u]your love for (AR)all the [v]saints, 16 (AS)do not cease giving thanks for you, (AT)while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the (AU)God of our Lord Jesus Christ, (AV)the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of (AW)wisdom and of (AX)revelation in the [w]knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that (AY)the eyes of your heart [x]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the (AZ)hope of His (BA)calling, what are (BB)the riches of the glory of (BC)His inheritance in (BD)the [y]saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. (BE)These are in accordance with the working of the (BF)strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He (BG)raised Him from the dead and (BH)seated Him at His right hand in (BI)the heavenly places, 21 far above (BJ)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every (BK)name that is named, not only in (BL)this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He (BM)put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as (BN)head over all things to the church, 23 which is His (BO)body, the (BP)fullness of Him who (BQ)fills (BR)all in all.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.