M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Judah Pledges for Benjamin
43 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt their father said to them, “Go back. Buy us a little food.”
3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us firmly saying, ‘You won’t see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy grain for you for food. 5 But if you won’t send him, we won’t go down, because the man said to us, ‘You won’t see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Then Israel said, “Why did you do evil to me by telling the man that you have another brother?”
7 They said, “The man questioned particularly about us and about our relatives saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have a brother?’ So we spoke to him on the basis of these words. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’”?
8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Please, send the boy with me and we’ll get up and go, so that we’ll live and not die—we and you, and our children. 9 I myself will be his pledge. You can demand him back from my own hand. If I don’t bring him back to you and place him before you, then you can blame me all my days. 10 If we had not delayed, we could have returned twice by now.”
11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and bring an offering down to the man—a little balsam and a little honey, gum and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 12 Also take in your hand a double portion of silver, and bring back in your hand the silver that had been returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother too—now, get up, go back to the man! 14 May El Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, so that he may release your other brother to you, along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
The Brothers Return With Benjamin
15 Then the men took this offering. They also took the double portion of silver in their hand, as well as Benjamin. So they got up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the one over his house, “Bring the men into the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me this afternoon. 17 So the man did as Joseph said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. 18 But the men were afraid, because they had been brought into Joseph’s house. They said, “It’s because of the silver that was returned to our sacks the first time that we are being brought in—to pounce on us and fall on us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 So they approached the man who was over Joseph’s house and spoke to him at the entrance of the house. 20 “I beg your pardon, my lord!” they said. “We indeed came down on the previous occasion to buy grain for food. 21 When we came to the lodge and opened our sacks, behold, there was each man’s money at the opening of the sack, the full amount of our money. So we’ve returned it in our hand. 22 Moreover, we’ve brought down other money in our hand to buy grain for food. We didn’t know who put our money into our sacks.”
23 “Be at peace,” he replied. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. Your money had come to me.”
Then he brought Simeon out to them, 24 and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water and they washed their feet. He also provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 So they prepared the offering for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they had heard that they were going to eat there. 26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the offering in their hand into the house, and they bowed down to the ground to him. 27 Then he asked if they were well, and said, “Is he well—your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28 “Your servant, our father, is well,” they said. “He’s still alive.” Then they knelt and bowed down.
29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother whom you mentioned to me?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Then Joseph hurried out because his compassion grew warm and tender toward his brother so that he wanted to cry. So he went into an inner room and wept there.
31 Then he washed his face, came out, and controlled himself. “Serve the food,” he said. 32 So they served him by himself, them by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves (for Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews because it was an abomination to Egyptians). 33 They were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. The men looked at each other in astonishment. 34 Then portions were brought to them from before him—and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of their portions. Yet they drank and made merry with him.
Signs of the End
13 As Yeshua was going out of the Temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look! What stones and what buildings!”
2 Yeshua said to him, “You see these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left upon another. Every one will be torn down!”
3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the Temple, Peter, Jacob, John, and Andrew were questioning Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? What will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?”
5 Yeshua began to tell them, “Watch out that no one leads you astray! 6 Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed, for this must happen but it is not yet the end. 8 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines. These things are only the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to the courts, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them. 10 The Good News must first be proclaimed to all the nations. 11 When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Say whatever is given to you in that hour, for it is not you who speaks but the Ruach ha-Kodesh. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. And children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Birth Pangs Before Deliverance
14 “But when you see ‘the abomination of desolation’[a] standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15 The one on the roof must not go down, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16 And the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 17 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 Pray that it will not happen in winter.
19 “For in those days there will be trouble such as has never happened,[b] not since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. 20 And unless Adonai had cut short those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He cut short the days.
21 “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here’s the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there He is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up[c] and show signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the chosen. 23 So be careful! See, I have told you everything beforehand.”
Messianic Victory
24 “But in those days, after that trouble,
‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
25 and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.’[d]
26 And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’[e] with great power and glory. 27 Then He will send out the angels and will gather together His chosen from the four winds, from the end of the earth, to the end of heaven.”
Keep Watch
28 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see all these things happening, know that it is near, at the door. 30 Amen, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. 32 But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, except the Father.
33 “Keep on the lookout! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man away on a journey. After leaving his house and putting his servants in charge and giving each his task, he also commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Therefore stay alert, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the early morning. 36 So watch in case, coming suddenly, he finds you asleep. 37 What I say to you I say to all: ‘Stay alert!’”
Job: Who is Righteous Before God?
9 Job responded and said:
2 “Truly I know it is so,
but how can one be righteous before God?[a]
3 If anyone wished to contend with Him,
he could not answer Him once in a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has resisted Him and come out whole?
5 “He who moves mountains,
yet they do not know it,
who overthrows them in His anger;
6 who shakes the earth from its place
until its pillars tremble;
7 who speaks to the sun so it does not rise,
and seals up the stars;
8 He alone spreads out the heavens,
and treads on the waves of the sea;
9 He makes the Bear, Orion and Pleiades,
and the constellations of the south;
10 He does great and unfathomable things,
wonders beyond number.
11 If He were to pass by me,
I would not see Him!
Were He to move past me,
I would not perceive Him.
12 If He were to snatch away,
who could restrain Him?
Who could say to Him,
‘What are You doing?’
13 “God does not restrain His anger;
under Him the helpers of Rahab cower.
14 How then can I answer Him
or choose my words with Him?
15 Even if I were right, I would not answer;
I would implore the mercy of my Judge.
16 Even if I called and He answered me,
I would not believe that He would listen to my voice.
17 He who crushes me with a storm
and multiplies my wounds for no reason.
18 He does not allow me to catch my breath,
but fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a question of strength—
certainly, He is the mighty One!
If it is a matter of justice—
who will summon me?
20 Even if I were innocent,
my mouth would condemn me.
If I were guiltless,
it will declare me perverse.
21 “I am guiltless.
I have no concern for myself.
I despise my life.
22 It is all the same, therefore I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
23 If a scourge smites suddenly,
He mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 If the land falls into the hand of the wicked
He blindfolds the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?
25 “My days are swifter than a runner;
they flee away without seeing goodness.
26 They slip by like reed boats,
like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will put off my sad face and be cheerful,’
28 I still dread all my pains,
for I know You will not find me innocent.
29 If I am condemned—
why should I struggle in vain?
30 If I wash myself with melted snow
and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 then You would plunge me into a pit
and my own clothes would detest me.
32 For He is not a human being, like I am,
that I could answer Him,
that we could go to court together.
33 There is no arbitrator between us,
who could lay his hand on us both;
34 who could remove His rod from me,
so that His terror would not frighten me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him
—except it is not so with me.”
Respecting Authority
13 Let every person submit himself to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are put in place by God. [a] 2 So whoever opposes the authority has resisted God’s direction, and those who have resisted will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For leaders cause no fear for good behavior, but for bad. Now if you do not want to fear the authority, do what is good and you will get his approval— 4 for he is God’s servant to you for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid—for he does not carry the sword for no reason; for he is God’s servant, an avenger who inflicts punishment on the evildoer. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in submission—not only because of punishment but also because of conscience. 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, attending diligently to this very thing. 7 Pay to everyone what is due them—tribute to whom tribute is due; tax to whom tax is due; respect to whom respect is due; honor to whom honor is due.
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the Torah. 9 For the commandments—“You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,”[b] and any other commandment—are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [c] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of the Torah.
11 Besides this, you know the time—that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first came to trust. 12 The night is almost gone and the day is near, so let us put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the day—not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and envy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Messiah Yeshua, and stop making provision for the flesh—for its cravings.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.