M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Making the Special Box of the Agreement
37 Bezalel made the special box of the agreement of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits tall. 2 He covered it inside and out with pure gold. And he made a piece of gold to put on it all around. 3 He made four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet. He put two rings on one side of it and two rings on the other side. 4 He made long pieces of acacia wood and covered them with gold. 5 Then he put the long pieces of wood through the rings on the sides of the special box to carry it. 6 He made a mercy-seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide. 7 He made two cherubim out of beaten gold at the two ends of the mercy-seat. 8 He made one cherub on one end and one cherub on the other end. He made the cherubim and the mercy-seat of one piece. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread up over the mercy-seat. Their faces were toward each other, and toward the mercy-seat. 10 Then he made a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and one and a half cubits tall. 11 He covered it with pure gold and made a gold piece around it. 12 He made a piece around it as wide as a hand. And he put gold on the side of this piece all around. 13 He made four rings of gold for it. He put them on the four corners that were on the table’s four legs. 14 The rings were close to the sides, to hold the long pieces of wood used to carry the table. 15 He made the long pieces of acacia wood and covered them with gold. The table was carried with these. 16 He made of pure gold its plates, its pots and its jars, for pouring gifts of drink.
Making the Lamp-Stand
17 Then he made the lamp-stand of pure gold and the base of the lamp-stand of beaten gold. Its cups, its buds and its flowers were all made of one piece with it. 18 Six branches went out of its sides, three branches of the lamp-stand out of one side, and three branches out of its other side. 19 Three cups were made to look like almond flowers, each with bud and flower, on one branch, and three on the next branch. This was done for all six branches going out of the lamp-stand. 20 In the lamp-stand there were four cups made to look like almond flowers, with their buds and flowers. 21 A bud was under each of the six branches going out of the lamp-stand. 22 Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. All of it was one piece of pure, beaten gold. 23 He made its seven lamps, the tools for putting out the light, and its dishes of pure gold. 24 He made it and all its objects out of a piece of gold about half the weight of a man.
Making the Altar
25 Then he made the altar for burning special perfume of acacia wood. It was one cubit long, one cubit wide, and as high as a man’s waist. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He covered its top, all its sides and its horns with pure gold. And he made a piece of gold to go around it. 27 Then he made two gold rings to put under this piece. He put one on the altar’s left side and one on its right side to hold the long pieces of wood used for carrying it. 28 He made the long pieces of acacia wood and covered them with gold.
Making the Holy Oil and Special Perfume
29 And he made the holy oil for pouring, and the pure, sweet-smelling perfume of spices, the work of an able workman.
Jesus Tells His Followers It Will Be Very Hard for Them
16 “I have told you these things so you will not be ashamed of Me and leave Me. 2 They will put you out of the places of worship. The time will come when anyone who kills you will think he is helping God. 3 They will do these things to you because they do not know the Father or Me.
4 “When these things happen, you will remember I told you they would happen. That is why I am telling you about these things now. I did not tell you these things before, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to Him Who sent Me. Yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
The Three Kinds of Work of the Holy Spirit
6 “Your hearts are full of sorrow because I am telling you these things. 7 I tell you the truth. It is better for you that I go away. If I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you. 8 When the Helper comes, He will show the world the truth about sin. He will show the world about being right with God. And He will show the world what it is to be guilty. 9 He will show the world about sin, because they do not put their trust in Me. 10 He will show the world about being right with God, because I go to My Father and you will see Me no more. 11 He will show the world what it is to be guilty because the leader of this world (Satan) is guilty.
The Holy Spirit Will Give Honor to the Son
12 “I still have many things to say to you. You are not strong enough to understand them now. 13 The Holy Spirit is coming. He will lead you into all truth. He will not speak His Own words. He will speak what He hears. He will tell you of things to come. 14 He will honor Me. He will receive what is Mine and will tell it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is Mine. That is why I said to you, ‘He will receive what is Mine and will tell it to you.’
Jesus Tells of His Death
16 “In a little while you will not see Me. Then in a little while you will see Me again.” 17 Some of His followers said to each other, “What is He trying to tell us when He says, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and in a little while you will see Me again,’ and ‘Because I go to My Father’?” 18 So they said, “What is He trying to tell us by saying, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.”
19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask Him something. He said to them, “Are you asking each other why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and in a little while you will see Me again’? 20 For sure, I tell you, you will cry and have sorrow, but the world will have joy. You will have sorrow, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman gives birth to a child, she has sorrow because her time has come. After the child is born, she forgets her pain. She is full of joy because a child has been born into the world. 22 You are sad now. I will see you again and then your hearts will be full of joy. No one can take your joy from you.
Asking and Receiving
23 “When the time comes that you see Me again, you will ask Me no question. For sure, I tell you, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive. Then your joy will be full.
25 “I have told you these things in picture-stories. The time is coming when I will not use picture-stories. I will talk about My Father in plain words. 26 In that day you will ask in My name. I will not ask the Father for you 27 because the Father loves you. He loves you because you love Me and believe that I came from the Father.
Jesus Tells of His Going
28 “I came from the Father and have come into the world. I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His followers said to Him, “Now You are talking in plain words. You are not using picture-stories. 30 Now we are sure You know everything. You do not need anyone to tell You anything. Because of this we believe that You came from God.”
31 Jesus said to them, “Do you believe now? 32 The time is coming, yes, it is already here when you will be going your own way. Everyone will go to his own house and leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me. 33 I have told you these things so you may have peace in Me. In the world you will have much trouble. But take hope! I have power over the world!”
13 A wise son listens when his father tells him the right way, but one who laughs at the truth does not listen when strong words are spoken to him.
2 The one who is careful what he says will have good come to him, but the one who wants to hurt others will have trouble.
3 He who watches over his mouth keeps his life. He who opens his lips wide will be destroyed.
4 The soul of the lazy person has strong desires but gets nothing, but the soul of the one who does his best gets more than he needs.
5 A man who is right with God hates lies, but the actions of a sinful man are hated and he is put to shame.
6 What is right and good watches over the one whose way is without blame, but sin destroys the sinful.
7 There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing. Another pretends to be poor, but has many riches.
8 A rich man can use his riches to save his life, but the poor man does not hear strong words spoken to him.
9 Those who are right with God are full of light, but the lamp of the sinful will be put out.
10 Fighting comes only from pride, but wisdom is with those who listen when told what they should do.
11 Riches taken by false ways become less and less, but riches grow for the one who gathers by hard work.
12 Hope that is put off makes the heart sick, but a desire that comes into being is a tree of life.
13 He who hates the Word is under its power, but he who fears the Word will be well paid.
14 The teaching of the wise is a well of life, to save one from the nets of death.
15 Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the sinful is hard.
16 Every wise man acts with much learning, but a fool makes his foolish way known.
17 A sinful helper falls into trouble, but a faithful helper brings healing.
18 He who will not listen to strong teaching will become poor and ashamed, but he who listens when strong words are spoken will be honored.
19 A desire that is filled is sweet to the soul, but fools hate to give up what is sinful.
20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the one who walks with fools will be destroyed.
21 Trouble follows sinners, but good things will be given to those who are right with God.
22 A good man leaves what he owns for his children’s children. The riches of the sinner are stored up for those who are right with God.
23 Much food is in the plowed land of the poor, but it is taken away because of wrong-doing.
24 He who does not punish his son when he needs it hates him, but he who loves him will punish him when he needs it.
25 The man who is right with God has all the food he needs, but the stomach of the sinful man never has enough.
How Children Must Live
6 Children, as Christians, obey your parents. This is the right thing to do. 2 Respect your father and mother. This is the first Law given that had a promise. 3 The promise is this: If you respect your father and mother, you will live a long time and your life will be full of many good things.
4 Fathers, do not be too hard on your children so they will become angry. Teach them in their growing years with Christian teaching.
5 You servants who are owned by someone must obey your owners. Work for them as hard as you can. Work for them the same as if you were working for Christ. 6 Do not work hard only when your owner sees you. You would be doing this just to please men. Work as you would work for Christ. Do what God wants you to do with all your heart. 7 Be happy as you work. Do your work as for the Lord, not for men. 8 Remember this, whatever good thing you do, the Lord will pay you for it. It is the same to the Lord if you are a servant owned by someone or if you work for pay.
9 Owners, do the right thing for those who work for you. Stop saying that you are going to be hard on them. Remember that your Owner and their Owner is in heaven. God does not respect one person more than another.
Things God Gives the Christian to Fight With
10 This is the last thing I want to say: Be strong with the Lord’s strength. 11 Put on the things God gives you to fight with. Then you will not fall into the traps of the devil. 12 Our fight is not with people. It is against the leaders and the powers and the spirits of darkness in this world. It is against the demon world that works in the heavens. 13 Because of this, put on all the things God gives you to fight with. Then you will be able to stand in that sinful day. When it is all over, you will still be standing. 14 So stand up and do not be moved. Wear a belt of truth around your body. Wear a piece of iron over your chest which is being right with God. 15 Wear shoes on your feet which are the Good News of peace. 16 Most important of all, you need a covering of faith in front of you. This is to put out the fire-arrows of the devil. 17 The covering for your head is that you have been saved from the punishment of sin. Take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
How and What to Pray For
18 You must pray at all times as the Holy Spirit leads you to pray. Pray for the things that are needed. You must watch and keep on praying. Remember to pray for all Christians. 19 Pray for me also. Pray that I might open my mouth without fear. Pray that I will use the right words to preach that which is hard to understand in the Good News. 20 This is the reason I was sent out. But now I am in chains for preaching the Good News. I want to keep on speaking for Christ without fear the way I should.
21 Tychicus will tell you how I am getting along. He is a much-loved brother and a faithful preacher. 22 I have sent him to you because I want him to tell you about us. He will comfort you. 23 May all the Christian brothers have peace and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 May God give loving-favor to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love that never gets weak.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.