This Bible reading plan takes you through most of the Holy Scriptures each weekday of the year. Each day has three Bible readings:
You're welcome to read one, two, or all three of the readings every weekday. And if you fall behind, don't worry! You can either use the weekends to catch up or you can simply dive in to the reading for that day, even if you've missed a few days, weeks, or even months!
You can download a foldable bookmark here: 2026
Sign up to get the readings sent to your email daily below
5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic1 called Bethesda,2 which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.3 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.
Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews4 said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father5 does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
[1] 5:2
[2] 5:2
[3] 5:3
[4] 5:10
[5] 5:19
(ESV)
The winter of 2004-2005 was a warm one. But it wasn't the temperatures outside that were soaring; rather, it was the fevers of countless thousands around the United States as they came down with winter's most antagonistic ailment: the flu. The Chiron Corporation, based out of Great Britain and the world's second leading supplier of the flu vaccine, had its supply suspended by the US government early in the flu season when worries about the safety of its vaccine arose. This left only domestic suppliers distributing the vaccine, effectively cutting our supply of this much needed inoculation in half. The result? At nearly every clinic doling out the vaccine, there were long lines full of worried patients hoping to receive their shot first before the preciously scarce supply ran out and the flu wreaked havoc on their health.
In our text for today from John 5, we read of a man who had been invalid for some 38 years (see verse 5). And although John does not tell us what his precise malady was, we can surmise that he was at least lame, if not paralyzed.
Now, if you read the story of this invalid man carefully, you may have noticed an anomaly in your text. This man's story begins in verse one, proceeds to verse two, then on to verse three, and then verse ... five? Yes, verse five. What's the deal with this? Did someone forget how to count? Was the number four unlucky and so they decided to leave it out, kind of like the thirteenth floor at a Las Vegas hotel?
The modern day chapter and verse divisions of the Bible come down to us from a man named Stephen Langton, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1207 to 1228. When he first divided John 5 into verses, there was indeed a verse four that read thusly: "From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had." Since Langton's enumeration of this text, however, scholars have discovered better and older manuscripts which leave these words out. Indeed, even many of the ancient manuscripts which do include them only do so with an asterisk, marking these words as non-original. Thus, most modern versions of the Bible either include verse four only as a footnote, or not at all.
Despite the fact that these words were probably not part of John's original gospel, they do provide us with valuable information concerning the superstitious air that surrounded the Pool of the Bethesda. The legend went like this: The first one into the pool when it bubbled received the pool's precious and healing vaccination. Everyone else was out of luck. You can imagine the long lines that formed around this pool. For this pool's bubbling elixir was scarcer than a flu vaccine.
The problem for the invalid man of John 5, then, would have been clear enough: Due to his ailment, he could never make it into the pool fast enough to receive its precious healing. In fact, he could not make it to the pool at all. Thank God he didn't need to. Because rather than making it to the pool, one day, a man named Jesus makes it to him. And he makes it to him with words of healing: "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk" (verse 8). And the man does.
Is there, or has there ever been, a place in your life where you wonder if you will "make it?" Make it to the next paycheck. Make it to the next meeting. Make it through the sickness. Make it to the end of the week when today's only Monday. The promise of John 5 is that the point at which we feel as though we just can't "make it" is precisely the point at which Jesus makes his way to us. He makes his way to meet our needs, comfort our pains, and even forgive our sins. In fact, some time after Jesus heals this man, he meets up with again. And the way John describes their second encounter is worth noting: "Later Jesus found the man at the temple" (verse 14). Jesus sought. And Jesus found. He made it to the man he was looking for. And he's made it to you too. So tell Jesus what's on your mind today. He's right next to you to listen and to help.
13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;1
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
15 so shall he sprinkle2 many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
and that which they have not heard they understand.
53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us?3
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected4 by men,
a man of sorrows5 and acquainted with6 grief;7
and as one from whom men hide their faces8
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although9 he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;10
when his soul makes11 an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see12 and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,13
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,14
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
[1] 52:13
[2] 52:15
[3] 53:1
[4] 53:3
[5] 53:3
[6] 53:3
[7] 53:3
[8] 53:3
[9] 53:9
[10] 53:10
[11] 53:10
[12] 53:11
[13] 53:12
[14] 53:12
(ESV)
These verses undoubtedly represent the best-known section of Isaiah's prophecy. This Servant Song is rich with truth about the Messiah and hundreds of pages of commentary could be written just on these verses alone. There is an immediate and apparent contrast between the wisdom and exaltation of the servant, and his gross disfigurement. These two are readily reconciled in the life of Jesus, however, who acted wisely to fulfill God's plan of salvation, yet suffered horribly for our sin, and was exalted in His resurrection from the dead. The words "so shall he sprinkle many nations" adapt the picture of the High Priest sprinkling the blood of sacrifice on the people to Christ's work of shedding His blood for mankind. By every appearance this Savior of mankind was an ordinary man, despised and rejected by the majority of His own people. Nevertheless, He completed the work of salvation by taking our punishment. The great exchange that took place at the cross rings out again and again: "he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities." Although we had gone astray, the LORD laid on His Servant Son the sins of all mankind. The details of Christ's trial, suffering, crucifixion, death and burial are presented with amazing clarity in words written 700 years before these events occurred. Even the facts that He was executed alongside criminals and buried in a rich man's tomb are prophesied. Yet His perfect innocence is proclaimed: "he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth." It is almost inconceivable that such things could happen to the LORD's Anointed, "yet, it was the will of the LORD to crush him." The resurrection of Christ from the dead is also portrayed for us: "when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." And justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is clearly taught: "by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous." Christ's ongoing ministry of intercession on our behalf before the Throne of Grace in heaven is also named: "yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors." This magnificent prophecy has been a source of faith and hope to countless believers through the ages.
45:1 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men;
grace is poured upon your lips;
therefore God has blessed you forever.
3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
in your splendor and majesty!
4 In your majesty ride out victoriously
for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!
5 Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the king’s enemies;
the peoples fall under you.
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;
9 daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
forget your people and your father’s house,
11 and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.
12 The people2 of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
the richest of the people.3
13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
14 In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
[1] 45:1
[2] 45:12
[3] 45:12
(ESV)