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
24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles1 from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,2 43 and he took it and ate before them.
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for3 the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
[1] 24:13
[2] 24:42
[3] 24:47
(ESV)
"But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense." (Luke 24:11)
Scientific truth is established through a rigorous process of repeated experimentation and observation. When a scientist seeks to understand a certain phenomenon he develops a hypothesis about what is going on. He then performs an experiment to test his hypothesis. When the same result is repeatedly observed the truth of his hypothesis is confirmed.
When the disiciples first heard the words of the women exclaiming that Jesus had risen from the dead, they did not believe them. Their words seemed like nonsense to them. Why? Early Christians are sometimes portrayed as "gullible" fools who were duped into believing miracles by a master magician, Jesus. The disciples were not gullible. They knew that in their ordinary experience dead people did not rise. Yes, they had seen Jesus raise the dead, but in this case, the One who had raised the dead was dead Himself. Therefore, they did not believe the women's report.
However, something changed their minds. What was it? It was repeated experience of the same report, or their own repeated observation of the same phenomenon, Jesus risen from the dead, that ultimately caused them to recognize the fact of the resurrection. After the women gave their report, Peter and John observed the empty tomb for themselves. They heard the report of the Emmaus disciples who saw Jesus alive. Then, they observed the risen Lord for themselves. And not only that, they saw Jesus experimentally demonstrate that He was truly alive in the flesh by eating in front of them on more than one occasion.
When we ask ourselves why we should believe that 2000 years ago the impossible occurred, that a man who had obviously died in the presence of many witnesses arose from the dead on the third day, we can assure ourselves that we have good reason to believe. Ancient skeptics were themselves convinced by repeated observation of the facts. Luke, the historian, records those repreated observations for us so that we can "know the certainty of the things [we] have been taught." (Luke 1:4)
24 And he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate on the south. And he measured its jambs and its vestibule; they had the same size as the others. 25 Both it and its vestibule had windows all around, like the windows of the others. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 26 And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had palm trees on its jambs, one on either side. 27 And there was a gate on the south of the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.
28 Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate. It was of the same size as the others. 29 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 30 And there were vestibules all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad. 31 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.
32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate. It was of the same size as the others. 33 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 34 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.
35 Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it. It had the same size as the others. 36 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others,1 and it had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 37 Its vestibule2 faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.
38 There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate,3 where the burnt offering was to be washed. 39 And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering were to be slaughtered. 40 And off to the side, on the outside as one goes up to the entrance of the north gate, were two tables; and off to the other side of the vestibule of the gate were two tables. 41 Four tables were on either side of the gate, eight tables, on which to slaughter. 42 And there were four tables of hewn stone for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to be laid with which the burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered. 43 And hooks,4 a handbreadth long, were fastened all around within. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid.
44 On the outside of the inner gateway there were two chambers5 in the inner court, one6 at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the south7 gate facing north. 45 And he said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, 46 and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who alone8 among the sons of Levi may come near to the LORD to minister to him.” 47 And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits broad, a square. And the altar was in front of the temple.
[1] 40:36
[2] 40:37
[3] 40:38
[4] 40:43
[5] 40:44
[6] 40:44
[7] 40:44
[8] 40:46
(ESV)
Ezekiel continued his description of the new temple in all its glory. The gate on the south side of the outer court matched the gate on the north side. A stairway of eight steps led upward to the inner court of the temple. The symmetry of the matching gates with their windows all around, matching each other in size and décor was a symbol of God's perfection. Within the inner court were 12 tables for the preparation of the sacrifices. In this area Ezekiel also observed the chambers for the priests in charge of the temple and in charge of the altar. The inner court of the temple was a large square, 175 feet wide and long. The altar stood in the inner court, in front of the entrance to the temple itself. This vision of the new temple encompassed both the restored temple after the return from exile, but even moreso, the glorious fulfillment of the New Covenant of peace when the Messiah would come to offer the perfect sacrifice. Animal sacrifices would continue to be offered at the rebuilt temple up to and after the time of Christ, when the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. would bring them to a permanent end. They would be no longer necessary, however, once the true sacrifice of God's own Son for the sins of the world was complete. With Christ's first coming, God was truly present, in the flesh, in the midst of His people, and although when His work on earth was finished Christ ascended into heaven, just as He promised, He is always with us, even until the end of the age, when He will come again bodily. Thus, the earthly temple is no longer necessary to symbolize the presence of God in the midst of His people. We know that Jesus our Savior is Immanuel, God with us!
142:1 With my voice I cry out to the LORD;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way!
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see:
there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for my soul.
5 I cry to you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.
[1] 142:1
(ESV)