M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Altar on Mount Ebal
27 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands(A) that I give you today. 2 When you have crossed the Jordan(B) into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones(C) and coat them with plaster.(D) 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,(E) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal,(F) as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. 5 Build there an altar(G) to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool(H) on them. 6 Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 Sacrifice fellowship offerings(I) there, eating them and rejoicing(J) in the presence of the Lord your God.(K) 8 And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones(L) you have set up.”(M)
Curses From Mount Ebal
9 Then Moses and the Levitical(N) priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.(O) 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”
11 On the same day Moses commanded the people:
12 When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim(P) to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,(Q) Joseph and Benjamin.(R) 13 And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal(S) to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.
14 The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:
15 “Cursed is anyone who makes an idol(T)—a thing detestable(U) to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.”
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”(V)
16 “Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.”(W)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
17 “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.”(X)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
18 “Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.”(Y)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
19 “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner,(Z) the fatherless or the widow.”(AA)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
20 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.”(AB)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
21 “Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal.”(AC)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
22 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.”(AD)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
23 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.”(AE)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
24 “Cursed is anyone who kills(AF) their neighbor secretly.”(AG)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
25 “Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.”(AH)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
26 “Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”(AI)
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”(AJ)
Blessings for Obedience
28 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow(AK) all his commands(AL) I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.(AM) 2 All these blessings will come on you(AN) and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:
3 You will be blessed(AO) in the city and blessed in the country.(AP)
4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.(AQ)
5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.(AR)
7 The Lord will grant that the enemies(AS) who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.(AT)
8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless(AU) you in the land he is giving you.
9 The Lord will establish you as his holy people,(AV) as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands(AW) of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. 10 Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name(AX) of the Lord, and they will fear you. 11 The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock(AY) and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.(AZ)
12 The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse(BA) of his bounty,(BB) to send rain(BC) on your land in season and to bless(BD) all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.(BE) 13 The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow(BF) them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.(BG) 14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left,(BH) following other gods and serving them.
Curses for Disobedience
15 However, if you do not obey(BI) the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today,(BJ) all these curses will come on you and overtake you:(BK)
16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.(BL)
17 Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.(BM)
18 The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.(BN)
19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.(BO)
Psalm 119[a]
א Aleph
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,(A)
who walk(B) according to the law of the Lord.(C)
2 Blessed(D) are those who keep his statutes(E)
and seek him(F) with all their heart—(G)
3 they do no wrong(H)
but follow his ways.(I)
4 You have laid down precepts(J)
that are to be fully obeyed.(K)
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!(L)
6 Then I would not be put to shame(M)
when I consider all your commands.(N)
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.(O)
8 I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.(P)
ב Beth
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?(Q)
By living according to your word.(R)
10 I seek you with all my heart;(S)
do not let me stray from your commands.(T)
11 I have hidden your word in my heart(U)
that I might not sin(V) against you.
12 Praise be(W) to you, Lord;
teach me(X) your decrees.(Y)
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.(Z)
14 I rejoice in following your statutes(AA)
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts(AB)
and consider your ways.
16 I delight(AC) in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
ג Gimel
17 Be good to your servant(AD) while I live,
that I may obey your word.(AE)
18 Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.
19 I am a stranger on earth;(AF)
do not hide your commands from me.
20 My soul is consumed(AG) with longing
for your laws(AH) at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant,(AI) who are accursed,(AJ)
those who stray(AK) from your commands.
22 Remove from me their scorn(AL) and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.(AM)
23 Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.
24 Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors.
The Future Glory of Zion
54 “Sing, barren woman,(A)
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,(B)
you who were never in labor;(C)
because more are the children(D) of the desolate(E) woman
than of her who has a husband,(F)”
says the Lord.
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,(G)
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.(H)
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants(I) will dispossess nations(J)
and settle in their desolate(K) cities.
4 “Do not be afraid;(L) you will not be put to shame.(M)
Do not fear disgrace;(N) you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth(O)
and remember no more the reproach(P) of your widowhood.(Q)
5 For your Maker(R) is your husband(S)—
the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One(T) of Israel is your Redeemer;(U)
he is called the God of all the earth.(V)
6 The Lord will call you back(W)
as if you were a wife deserted(X) and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,(Y)
only to be rejected,” says your God.
7 “For a brief moment(Z) I abandoned(AA) you,
but with deep compassion(AB) I will bring you back.(AC)
8 In a surge of anger(AD)
I hid(AE) my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness(AF)
I will have compassion(AG) on you,”
says the Lord your Redeemer.(AH)
9 “To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.(AI)
So now I have sworn(AJ) not to be angry(AK) with you,
never to rebuke(AL) you again.
10 Though the mountains be shaken(AM)
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love(AN) for you will not be shaken(AO)
nor my covenant(AP) of peace(AQ) be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion(AR) on you.
11 “Afflicted(AS) city, lashed by storms(AT) and not comforted,(AU)
I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,[a](AV)
your foundations(AW) with lapis lazuli.(AX)
12 I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates(AY) of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,(AZ)
and great will be their peace.(BA)
14 In righteousness(BB) you will be established:(BC)
Tyranny(BD) will be far from you;
you will have nothing to fear.(BE)
Terror(BF) will be far removed;
it will not come near you.
15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing;
whoever attacks you will surrender(BG) to you.
16 “See, it is I who created the blacksmith(BH)
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon(BI) fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer(BJ) to wreak havoc;
17 no weapon forged against you will prevail,(BK)
and you will refute(BL) every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants(BM) of the Lord,
and this is their vindication(BN) from me,”
declares the Lord.
The Magi Visit the Messiah
2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,(A) during the time of King Herod,(B) Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?(C) We saw his star(D) when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem(E) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”(F)
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.(G) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts(H) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned(I) in a dream(J) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
The Escape to Egypt
13 When they had gone, an angel(K) of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.(L) “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”(M)
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled(N) what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”[c](O)
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:(P)
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel(Q) weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”[d](R)
The Return to Nazareth
19 After Herod died, an angel(S) of the Lord appeared in a dream(T) to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”(U)
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream,(V) he withdrew to the district of Galilee,(W) 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.(X) So was fulfilled(Y) what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.(Z)
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