Formation Journal Reading Plan

Genesis 3

3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’”
3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,
3:3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t surely die,
3:5 for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
3:6 When 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 of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
3:7 The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
3:8 They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.
3:9 Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
3:10 The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
3:11 God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
3:12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”
3:13 Yahweh God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
3:14 Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.
3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
3:16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bear children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
3:17 To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
3:18 It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.
3:19 By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
3:20 The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
3:21 Yahweh God made coats of skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.
3:22 Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”
3:23 Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.
3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Psalm 3

3:1 A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me.
3:2 Many there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah.
3:3 But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
3:4 I cry to Yahweh with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah.
3:5 I laid myself down and slept. I awakened; for Yahweh sustains me.
3:6 I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side.
3:7 Arise, Yahweh! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.
3:8 Salvation belongs to Yahweh. Your blessing be on your people. Selah.

Matthew 2:1-12

2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
2:2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
2:3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
2:4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
2:5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,
2:6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come forth a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”
2:7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
2:8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
2:9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.
2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
2:11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
2:12 Being warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.