The Bible Reading Plan

Readings for January 4:

First, Genesis Chapter 3 verses 1 to 13. Follow that by reading from Joshua Chapter 4 verse 14 to Chapter 5 verse 15. Follow that by reading from Ruth Chapter 3 verse 6 to Chapter 4 verse 4; and lastly Matthew Chapter 4 verses 1 to 22

You can read the passages below. If you're looking to read for a different day or want to use your own Bible, then here’s the entire year’s plan as a list. Enjoy!

For certain interesting words:

Section 1

Genesis 3:1-13

13 verses

Genesis Chapter 3

1Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which ForeverOne God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?" 2The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, 3but not the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, 'You shall not eat of it nor touch it, lest you die.'" 4The serpent said to the woman, "You won't really die, 5for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too.

7Their eyes were opened, and they both knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made coverings for themselves.

8They heard the voice of ForeverOne God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of ForeverOne God among the trees of the garden.

9ForeverOne God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" 10The man said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; so I hid myself." 11He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" 12The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." 13ForeverOne God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Section 2

Joshua 4:14-5:15

26 verses

Joshua Chapter 4

14On that day, ForeverOne magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15ForeverOne spoke to Joshua, saying, 16"Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan." 17Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, "Come up out of the Jordan!" 18It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of ForeverOne had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.

19The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.

20Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.

21He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean?' 22Then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

23For ForeverOne your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you had passed over, as ForeverOne your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over; 24that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of ForeverOne, that it is mighty; that you may fear ForeverOne your God forever.'"

Joshua Chapter 5

1It happened, when all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how that ForeverOne had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we had passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

2At that time, ForeverOne said to Joshua, "Make flint knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time." 3Joshua made himself flint knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

4This is the reason Joshua circumcised: all the people who came out of Egypt, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

5For all the people who came out were circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness by the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.

6For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn't listen to the voice of ForeverOne. ForeverOne swore to them that he wouldn't let them see the land which ForeverOne swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

7Their children, whom he raised up in their place, were circumcised by Joshua; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.

8It happened, when they were done circumcising all the nation, that they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.

9ForeverOne said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal, to this day.

10The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.

11They ate unleavened cakes and parched grain of the produce of the land on the next day after the Passover, in the same day.

12The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land. The children of Israel didn't have manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

13It happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood in front of him with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went to him, and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" 14He said, "No; but I have come now as commander of ForeverOne's army." Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped, and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?" 15The prince of ForeverOne's army said to Joshua, "Take your shoes off of your feet; for the place on which you stand is holy." Joshua did so.

Section 3

Ruth 3:6-4:4

17 verses

Ruth Chapter 3

6She went down to the threshing floor, and did according to all that her mother-in-law told her.

7When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

8It happened at midnight, that the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.

9He said, "Who are you?" She answered, "I am Ruth your handmaid. Therefore spread your skirt over your handmaid; for you are a near kinsman." 10He said, "Blessed are you by ForeverOne, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you didn't follow young men, whether poor or rich.

11Now, my daughter, don't be afraid; I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people does know that you are a worthy woman.

12Now it is true that I am a near kinsman; however there is a kinsman nearer than I.

13Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then will I do the part of a kinsman for you, as ForeverOne lives. Lie down until the morning." 14She lay at his feet until the morning. She rose up before one could discern another. For he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor." 15He said, "Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it." She held it; and he measured six [measures] of barley, and laid it on her; and he went into the city.

16When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did it go, my daughter?" She told her all that the man had done to her.

17She said, "He gave me these six [measures] of barley; for he said, 'Don't go empty to your mother-in-law.'" 18Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he has finished the thing this day."

Ruth Chapter 4

1Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. Behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by; to whom he said, "Come over here, friend, and sit down!" He turned aside, and sat down.

2He took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." They sat down.

3He said to the near kinsman, "Naomi, who has come back out of the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.

4I thought to disclose it to you, saying, 'Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people.' If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know. For there is no one to redeem it besides you; and I am after you." He said, "I will redeem it."

Section 4

Matthew 4:1-22

22 verses

Matthew Chapter 4

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

2When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.

3The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4But he answered, "It is written, 'People shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God's mouth.'" 5Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don't dash your foot against a stone.'" 7Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, 'You shall not test the Lord, your God.'" 8Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

9He said to him, "I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me." 10Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.'" 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.

12Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee.

13Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 16the people who sat in darkness saw a great light; to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned." 17From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, "Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." 18Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers for people." 20They immediately left their nets and followed him.

21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them.

22They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.

The Bible text is a minor adaptation of the WEB to include nuanced meanings of particular ancient words for placenames, God and others of special interest.
In general square brackets:[] are used to indicated words not found in the original text.
They also indicate the 5 books of the Psalms, and the letters in Psalm 119;
and a few passages considered by some to be of questionable authenticity, marked with an asterisk(*).