M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Lord Will Bless His People
30 I have told you about all these blessings and curses. The Lord your God will bring them on you. Then you will think carefully about the blessings and curses. You will think about them everywhere the Lord your God scatters you among the nations. 2 You and your children will return to the Lord your God. You will obey him with all your heart and with all your soul. That will be according to everything I’m commanding you today. 3 When all that happens, the Lord your God will bless you with great success again. He will be very kind to you. He’ll bring you back from all the nations where he scattered you. 4 Suppose you have been forced to go away to the farthest land on earth. The Lord your God will bring you back even from there. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your people of long ago. You will take it over. He’ll make you better off than your people were. He’ll cause there to be more of you than there were of them. 6 The Lord your God will keep you from being stubborn. He’ll do the same thing for your children and their children. Then you will love him with all your heart and with all your soul. And you will live. 7 The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies. They hated you and hunted you down. 8 You will obey the Lord again. You will obey all his commands that I’m giving you today. 9 Then the Lord your God will give you great success in everything you do. You will have many children. Your livestock will have many little ones. Your crops will do very well. The Lord will take delight in you again. He’ll give you success. That’s what he did for your people of long ago. 10 But you must obey the Lord your God. You must keep his commands and rules. They are written in this Book of the Law. You must turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Choose Life, Not Death
11 What I’m commanding you today is not too hard for you. It isn’t beyond your reach. 12 It isn’t up in heaven. So you don’t have to ask, “Who will go up into heaven to get it? Who will announce it to us so we can obey it?” 13 And it isn’t beyond the ocean. So you don’t have to ask, “Who will go across the ocean to get it? Who will announce it to us so we can obey it?” 14 No, the message isn’t far away at all. In fact, it’s really near you. It’s in your mouth and in your heart so that you can obey it.
15 Today I’m giving you a choice. You can have life and success. Or you can have death and harm. 16 I’m commanding you today to love the Lord your God. I’m commanding you to live exactly as he wants you to live. You must obey his commands, rules and laws. Then you will live. There will be many of you. The Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to take as your own.
17 Don’t let your hearts turn away from the Lord. Instead, obey him. Don’t let yourselves be drawn away to other gods. And don’t bow down to them and worship them. 18 If you do, I announce to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You are about to go across the Jordan River and take over the land. But you won’t live there very long.
19 I’m calling for the heavens and the earth to be witnesses against you this very day. I’m offering you the choice of life or death. You can choose either blessings or curses. But I want you to choose life. Then you and your children will live. 20 And you will love the Lord your God. You will obey him. You will remain true to him. The Lord is your very life. He will give you many years in the land. He promised to give that land to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
י Yodh
73 You made me and formed me with your own hands.
Give me understanding so that I can learn your commands.
74 May those who have respect for you be filled with joy when they see me.
I have put my hope in your word.
75 Lord, I know that your laws are right.
You were faithful to your promise when you made me suffer.
76 May your faithful love comfort me
as you have promised me.
77 Show me your tender love so that I can live.
I take delight in your law.
78 May proud people be put to shame for treating me badly for no reason.
I will think deeply about your rules.
79 May those who have respect for you come to me.
Then I can teach them your covenant laws.
80 May I follow your orders with all my heart.
Then I won’t be put to shame.
כ Kaph
81 I deeply long for you to save me.
I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes grow tired looking for what you have promised.
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
83 I’m as useless as a wineskin that smoke has dried up.
But I don’t forget to follow your orders.
84 How long do I have to wait?
When will you punish those who attack me?
85 Proud people do what is against your law.
They dig pits for me to fall into.
86 All your commands can be trusted.
Help me, because people attack me without any reason.
87 They almost wiped me off the face of the earth.
But I have not turned away from your rules.
88 Keep me alive, because of your faithful love.
Do this so that I may obey the covenant laws you have given.
ל Lamedh
89 Lord, your word lasts forever.
It stands firm in the heavens.
90 You will be faithful for all time to come.
You made the earth, and it continues to exist.
91 Your laws continue to this very day,
because all things serve you.
92 If I had not taken delight in your law,
I would have died because of my suffering.
93 I will never forget your rules.
You have kept me alive, because I obey them.
94 Save me, because I belong to you.
I’ve tried to obey your rules.
95 Sinful people are waiting to destroy me.
But I will spend time thinking about your covenant laws.
96 I’ve learned that everything has its limits.
But your commands are perfect. They are always there when I need them.
57 Those who are right with God die.
And no one really cares about it.
People who are faithful to the Lord are swept away by trouble.
And no one understands why that happens
to those who do what is right.
2 Those who lead honest lives
will enjoy peace and rest when they die.
3 The Lord says, “Come here,
you children of women who practice evil magic!
You are children of prostitutes and those who commit adultery.
4 Who are you making fun of?
Who are you laughing at?
Who are you sticking your tongue out at?
You are people who refuse to obey me.
You are just a bunch of liars!
5 You burn with sinful desire among the oak trees.
You worship your gods under every green tree.
You sacrifice your children in the valleys.
You also do it under the cliffs.
6 You have chosen some of the smooth stones in the valleys to be your gods.
You have joined yourselves to them.
You have even poured out drink offerings to them.
You have given grain offerings to them.
So why should I take pity on you?
7 You have made your bed on a very high hill.
You went up there to offer your sacrifices.
8 You have set up statues to remind you of your gods.
You have put them behind your doors and doorposts.
You deserted me. You invited other lovers into your bed.
You climbed into it and welcomed them.
You made a deal with them.
And you looked with desire at their naked bodies.
9 You took olive oil to the god named Molek.
You took a lot of perfume along with you.
You sent your messengers to places far away.
You even sent them down to the place of the dead.
10 You wore yourself out with all your efforts.
But you would not say, ‘It’s hopeless.’
You received new strength.
So you did not give up.
11 “Who are you so afraid of
that you have not been faithful to me?
You have not remembered me.
What you do doesn’t even bother you.
I have not punished you for a long time.
That is why you are not afraid of me.
12 You have not done what is right or good.
I will let everyone know about it.
And that will not be of any benefit to you.
13 Go ahead and cry out for help to all the statues of your gods.
See if they can save you!
The wind will carry them off.
Just a puff of air will blow them away.
But anyone who comes to me for safety
will receive the land.
They will possess my holy mountain of Zion.”
The Lord Comforts People Who Are Sorry for Their Sins
14 A messenger says,
“Build up the road! Build it up! Get it ready!
Remove anything that would keep my people from coming back.”
15 The God who is highly honored lives forever.
His name is holy. He says,
“I live in a high and holy place.
But I also live with anyone who turns away from their sins.
I live with anyone who is not proud.
I give new life to them.
I give it to anyone who turns away from their sins.
16 I will not find fault with my people forever.
I will not always be angry with them.
If I were, I would cause their spirits to grow weak.
The people I created would faint away.
17 I was very angry with them.
They always longed for more and more of everything.
So I punished them for that sin.
I turned my face away from them because I was angry.
But they kept on wanting their own way.
18 I have seen what they have done.
But I will heal them.
I will guide them.
I will give those who mourn in Israel the comfort they had before.
19 Then they will praise me.
I will give perfect peace to those who are far away and those who are near.
And I will heal them,” says the Lord.
20 But those who are evil are like the rolling sea.
It never rests.
Its waves toss up mud and sand.
21 “There is no peace for those who are evil,” says my God.
Jesus Teaches the Disciples and Crowds
5 Jesus saw the crowds. So he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to teach them.
Jesus Gives Blessings
He said,
3 “Blessed are those who are spiritually needy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4 Blessed are those who are sad.
They will be comforted.
5 Blessed are those who are humble.
They will be given the earth.
6 Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for what is right.
They will be filled.
7 Blessed are those who show mercy.
They will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are those whose hearts are pure.
They will see God.
9 Blessed are those who make peace.
They will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who suffer for doing what is right.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11 “Blessed are you when people make fun of you and hurt you because of me. You are also blessed when they tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 Be joyful and glad. Your reward in heaven is great. In the same way, people hurt the prophets who lived long ago.
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But suppose the salt loses its saltiness. How can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything. It will be thrown out. People will walk all over it.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Also, people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand. Then it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine so others can see it. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Jesus Fulfills the Law
17 “Do not think I have come to get rid of what is written in the Law or in the Prophets. I have not come to do this. Instead, I have come to fulfill what is written. 18 What I’m about to tell you is true. Heaven and earth will disappear before the smallest letter disappears from the Law. Not even the smallest mark of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is completed. 19 Do not ignore even one of the least important commands. And do not teach others to ignore them. If you do, you will be called the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, practice and teach these commands. Then you will be called important in the kingdom of heaven. 20 Here is what I tell you. You must be more godly than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. If you are not, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder
21 “You have heard what was said to people who lived long ago. They were told, ‘Do not commit murder. (Exodus 20:13) Anyone who murders will be judged for it.’ 22 But here is what I tell you. Do not be angry with a brother or sister. Anyone who is angry with them will be judged. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ must stand trial in court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire in hell.
23 “Suppose you are offering your gift at the altar. And you remember that your brother or sister has something against you. 24 Leave your gift in front of the altar. First go and make peace with them. Then come back and offer your gift.
25 “Suppose someone has a claim against you and is taking you to court. Settle the matter quickly. Do this while you are still together on the way. If you don’t, you may be handed over to the judge. The judge may hand you over to the officer to be thrown into prison. 26 What I’m about to tell you is true. You will not get out until you have paid the very last penny!
Adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ (Exodus 20:14) 28 But here is what I tell you. Do not even look at a woman in the wrong way. Anyone who does has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. Your eye is only one part of your body. It is better to lose an eye than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. Your hand is only one part of your body. It is better to lose a hand than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31 “It has been said, ‘Suppose a man divorces his wife. If he does, he must give her a letter of divorce.’ (Deuteronomy 24:1) 32 But here is what I tell you. Anyone who divorces his wife makes her a victim of adultery. And anyone who gets married to the divorced woman commits adultery. A man may divorce his wife only if she has not been faithful to him.
Promises
33 “Again, you have heard what was said to your people long ago. They were told, ‘Do not break the promises you make to the Lord. Keep your promises to the Lord that you have made.’ 34 But here is what I tell you. Do not make any promises like that at all. Do not make them in the name of heaven. That is God’s throne. 35 Do not make them in the name of the earth. That is the stool for God’s feet. Do not make them in the name of Jerusalem. That is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not make a promise in your own name. You can’t make even one hair of your head white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Be Kind to Others
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth.’ (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21) 39 But here is what I tell you. Do not fight against an evil person. Suppose someone slaps you on your right cheek. Turn your other cheek to them also. 40 Suppose someone takes you to court to get your shirt. Let them have your coat also. 41 Suppose someone forces you to go one mile. Go two miles with them. 42 Give to the one who asks you for something. Don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow something from you.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor. (Leviticus 19:18) Hate your enemy.’ 44 But here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. 45 Then you will be children of your Father who is in heaven. He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that. 47 If you greet only your own people, what more are you doing than others? Even people who are ungodly do that. 48 So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.