M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Defeats the Philistines at Keilah
23 Now they told David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting in Keilah and they are raiding the threshing floors.” 2 So David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And Yahweh said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save[a] Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more[b] if we go to Keilah to the battle lines of the Philistines?” 4 So David again inquired of Yahweh, and Yahweh answered him and said, “Get up, go down to Keilah, for I am giving the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines. They drove off their livestock and dealt them a heavy blow.[c] So David saved[d] the inhabitants of Keilah.
David Flees from Saul at Keilah
6 Now when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled[e] to David at Keilah, he went down with an ephod in his hand. 7 When it was told to Saul that David had gone to Keilah, Saul said, “God has given him[f] into my hand, because he has shut himself in by going into a city with two barred gates.[g] 8 Saul then summoned all of the army for the battle, to go down to Keilah to lay a siege against David and his men. 9 When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 And David said, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 11 Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down as your servant has heard? O Yahweh, God of Israel, please tell your servant!” And Yahweh said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David said, “Will the rulers of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And Yahweh said, “They will deliver you.” 13 So David and his men got up, about six hundred men, and went out from Keilah and wandered wherever they could go. When it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he stopped his pursuit.[h]
David Eludes Saul’s Pursuit
14 David remained in the wilderness, in the strongholds, and in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him continually,[i] but God did not give him into his hand. 15 When David realized that Saul had gone out to seek his life, David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 So Jonathan the son of Saul got up and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him[j] through God. 17 He said to him, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of my father Saul will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you.[k] My father Saul knows this also.” 18 Then the two of them made[l] a covenant before Yahweh. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20 So then, O king, whenever you want[m] to come down, come down, and it will be for us to deliver him into the hand of the king.” 21 And Saul said to them, “May you be blessed by Yahweh, for you have shown me compassion! 22 Go, please, make certain again! Find out and see exactly where he is[n] and who has seen him there! For they have said to me, ‘He is very cunning.’ 23 Look, find out all of the hiding places where he hides. Then return to me with dependable information,[o] and I will go with you. And then if he is there in the land, then I will seek him among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 Then they got up and went to Ziph before Saul.
Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah, to the south of Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him, and they told David, so he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain,[p] and David and his men went on the other side of the mountain.[q] David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!” 28 So Saul returned from pursuing David, and he went to confront[r] the Philistines. Therefore, they called that place the Rock of Division.[s] 29 [t] David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi.
Christ’s Servant, God’s Steward
4 Thus let a person consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. 2 In this case, moreover, it is sought in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But to me it is a very little matter that I be judged by you or by a human court,[a] but I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, but not by this am I vindicated. But the one who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore do not judge anything before the time, until the Lord should come, who will both enlighten the hidden things of darkness and will reveal the counsels of hearts, and then praise will come to each one from God.
The Apostles’ Humility
6 Now I have applied these things, brothers, to myself and Apollos for your sake, in order that in us you may learn not to go beyond what is written, lest someone be inflated with pride on behalf of one person against the other. 7 For who concedes you superiority? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if indeed you received it, why do you boast as if you[b] did not receive it? 8 Already you are satiated! Already you are rich! Apart from us you reign as kings! And would that indeed you reigned as kings, in order that we also might reign as kings with you! 9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as condemned to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to people. 10 We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored! 11 Until the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty and poorly clothed and roughly treated and homeless, 12 and we toil, working with our own hands. When we are[c] reviled, we bless; when we are[d] persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are[e] slandered, we encourage. We have become like the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things, until now.
Paul’s Concern for the Corinthian Believers
14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but admonishing you as my dear children. 15 For if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I exhort you, become imitators of me. 17 Because of this, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my dear and faithful child in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 But some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not with talk, but with power. 21 What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
The Call of Ezekiel to Speak God’s Words
2 And he said to me, “Son of man,[a] stand on your feet, so that I can speak with you.” 2 And the Spirit[b] came into me as he was speaking to me, and it set me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man,[c] I am sending you to the Israelites,[d] to nations[e] who are rebelling, who rebelled against me, they and their ancestors,[f] they transgressed against me until this very day.[g] 4 And the children[h] are impudent[i] and stubborn,[j] and so I am sending you to them, and you must say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh!’ 5 And they, whether they listen or whether they fail to listen, for they are a rebellious house, they will know that a prophet was in their midst. 6 And you, son of man,[k] you must not be afraid of them, and you must not be afraid of their words, because[l] briers and thorns are with you, and you are sitting among scorpions. You must not be afraid of their words, and you must not be dismayed because of their looks,[m] for they are a rebellious house. 7 And you must speak my words to them whether they listen or whether they fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 And you, son of man,[n] hear what I am speaking to you: you must not be rebellious like the house of rebellion. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving to you.” 9 And I looked,[o] and look! There was a hand stretched out to me, and look! In it was a scroll with writing.[p] 10 And he rolled it out[q] before me,[r] and it was written on the front and back, and there were written on it laments and mourning and wailing.[s]
A Prayer of Repentance
A psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.[a]
38 O Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger
or chastise me in your wrath.
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has pressed down on me.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation.
There is no health in my bones because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have passed over my head;
like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds start to stink; they rot
because of my foolishness.
6 I am bowed down; I am bent over greatly.
All the day I go about mourning.
7 For my loins are full of burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am faint and crushed greatly;
I groan because of the roaring of my heart.
9 O Lord, all my longing is before you,
and my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs violently, my strength leaves me;
and the light of my eyes, that also is not with me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,
and my relatives stand afar off.
12 Those who seek my life lay snares as well,
and those intent on my harm speak threats.
They also plot deceit all day.
13 But as for me, like the deaf I cannot hear,
and I am like the mute who cannot open his mouth.
14 And so I am like a man who hears not,
and in whose mouth there are no retorts.
15 Rather for you I wait, O Yahweh.
You will answer, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Help, lest they rejoice over me,
lest they boast against me when my foot slips.”
17 For I am ready to stumble,
and my pain is before me continually.
18 For my iniquity I confess;
I am anxious because of my sin.
19 And my enemies without cause[b] are numerous,
and those who hate me wrongfully[c] are many.
20 And those who repay evil in return for good
accuse me in return for my pursuing good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Yahweh.
O my God, do not be far from me.
22 Hurry to help me,
O Lord, my salvation.
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