M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Nadab and Abihu(A)
10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own censer, placed fire in it, covered it with incense, and brought it into the Lord’s presence as unauthorized fire that he had never prescribed for them. 2 As a result, fire came out from the Lord’s presence and incinerated them. They died while in the Lord’s presence. 3 Moses spoke with Aaron about what the Lord had said: “Among those who are near me, I’ll show myself holy so that I’ll be glorified before all people.” So Aaron remained silent.
After the Deaths of Nadab and Abihu
4 Then Moses called on Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, Aaron’s uncle, and said, “Come here and carry your brothers away from the sanctuary, outside the camp.” 5 So they approached to carry them in their tunics outside the camp, just as Moses had commanded.
6 Then Moses told Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “You are not to loosen the hair of your head and you are not to rend your clothes. That way, you won’t die and wrath won’t come on the entire congregation. Your brothers and the assembly[a] of Israel will mourn because of the fire that the Lord kindled. 7 Also, you are not to leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Otherwise, you’ll die, since the Lord’s anointing oil remains on you.” So they followed Moses’ instructions.
Prohibitions against Drinking Wine
8 Then the Lord told Aaron, 9 “You and your sons with you are not to drink wine—that is, any intoxicating drink—when you enter the Tent of Meeting. That way, you won’t die. This is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 10 You are to differentiate between what’s sacred and common and between what’s unclean and clean. 11 You are to teach the Israelis all the statutes that the Lord commanded you by the authority of Moses.”
Additional Orders for Offerings
12 Then Moses told Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the leftovers from the grain offering and the offerings made by fire and eat the unleavened bread beside the altar, because it is most holy to the Lord. 13 Eat at a sacred place, because it’s your and your sons’ prescribed portions. It’s from the offering made by fire to the Lord, since I’ve commanded it. 14 As to the breast and thigh raised offerings, you and your sons and daughters with you may eat them[b] at a clean place, because they belong to you and are your sons’ prescribed portions and were taken from the sacrifices of peace offering presented by the Israelis. 15 They are to bring the thigh offering, the breast raised offering, and the offerings made by fire from the fat to wave as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence. It will be a perpetual portion for you and your sons with you, just as the Lord commanded.”
Confusion Occurs, but is Resolved
16 Now Moses diligently sought for the goat that had been offered as a sin offering, but it had already been incinerated, so he was angry with Aaron’s sons who remained. He asked Eleazar and Ithamar, 17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering at the sacred place? It’s most holy and he has given it to you so that you may bear the punishment for the iniquity of the entire congregation and make atonement for them in the Lord’s presence. 18 Look! Its blood wasn’t brought inside the sanctuary. You were to have eaten it in the sanctuary, just as I commanded.”
19 But Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they’ve offered their sin and whole burnt offerings in the Lord’s presence. Yet things such as these have happened to me. Had I eaten the sin offering today, would that have pleased the Lord?”[c]
20 When Moses heard that explanation, he was pleased.
To the Director: A Davidic Song.[a]
Confident Trust in God
11 I take refuge in the Lord.
So how can you say to me,
“Flee like a bird to the mountains.”?
2 Look, the wicked have bent their bow
and placed their arrow[b] on the string,[c]
to shoot from the darkness[d] at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?
4 The Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord’s throne is in the heavens.
His eyes see,
his glance[e] examines humanity.[f]
5 The Lord examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence, he hates.
6 He rains on the wicked burning coals and sulfur;
a scorching wind is their destiny.[g]
7 Indeed, the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteousness;
the upright will see him face-to-face.
To the Director: On an eight stringed harp.[h] A Davidic Psalm.
Human and Divine Words Contrasted
12 Help, Lord, for godly people no longer exist;
trustworthy people have disappeared from humanity.[i]
2 Everyone speaks lies to his neighbor;
they speak with flattering lips and hidden motives.[j]
3 The Lord will cut off all slippery lips,
and the tongue that boasts great things,
4 those who say,
“By our tongues we will prevail;
our lips belong to us.
Who is master[k] over us?”
5 “Because the poor are being oppressed,
because the needy are sighing,
I will now arise,” says the Lord,
“I will establish in safety those who yearn for it.”
6 The words of the Lord are pure,
like silver refined in an earthen furnace,
purified seven times over.
7 You, Lord, will keep them[l] safe,
you will guard them[m] from this generation forever.
8 The wicked, however,[n] keep walking around,
exalting the vileness of human beings.[o]
More Proverbs from Solomon
25 Here are some more proverbs by Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
3 Just as the heavens are high
and earth is deep,
so the heart of a king is unfathomable.
4 Purge the dross from the silver,
and material for[a] a vessel comes forth for the silversmith.
5 Purge the wicked from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Don’t magnify yourself in the presence of a king,
and don’t pretend to be in the company of famous men,
7 for it is better that it be told you, “Come up here,”
than for you to be placed lower
in the presence of an official.
What you’ve seen with your own eyes,
8 don’t be in a hurry to argue in court.
Otherwise, what will you do later on
when your neighbor humiliates you?
9 Instead, take up the matter with your neighbor,
and don’t betray another person’s confidence.
10 Otherwise, anyone who hears will make you ashamed,
and your bad reputation will never leave you.
11 Like golden apples set in silver
is a word spoken at the right time.
12 Like a gold earring and a necklace of pure gold
is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
13 Like cold snow during harvest time
is a faithful messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes his masters.
14 Like clouds and winds without rain
is the man who brags
about gifts he never gave.
15 Through patience a ruler may be persuaded;
a gentle word[b] can break a bone.
16 If you find some honey,
eat only what you need.
Take too much,
and you’ll vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s home;
otherwise, he’ll grow weary and hate you.
18 A club, a sword, and a sharp arrow—
that’s what a man is who lies about his neighbor.
19 A bad tooth and an unsteady foot—
that’s what confidence in an unreliable man is like
in a time of trouble.
20 Taking your coat off when it’s cold
or pouring vinegar on soda—
that’s what singing songs does to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy hungers, give him food to eat;
and if he thirsts, give him water to drink.
22 For you’ll be piling burning coals of shame[c] on his head
and the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain,
and a backbiting tongue an angry look.
24 It’s better to live in a corner on the roof
than in a house with a contentious woman.
25 Cold water to someone who is thirsty[d]—
that’s what good news from a distant land is.
26 A muddied spring or a polluted well—
that’s what a righteous person is
who compromises with the wicked.
27 To eat too much honey isn’t good;
and neither is it honorable to seek one’s own glory.
28 Like a city with breached walls
is a man without self-control.
Instructions on the Way Christians Should Live
4 Now then, brothers, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, as in fact you are doing. We ask and encourage you in the Lord to do so even more. 2 You know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For it is God’s will that you be sanctified: You must abstain from sexual immorality. 4 Each of you must know how to control his own body[a] in a holy and honorable manner, 5 not with passion and lust like the gentiles who do not know God. 6 Furthermore, you must never take advantage of or exploit a brother in this regard, because the Lord avenges all these things, just as we already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to be holy. 8 Therefore, whoever rejects this instruction[b] is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 Now you do not need anyone to write to you about brotherly love, since you have been taught by God to love each other. 10 In fact, you are showing love to all the brothers throughout Macedonia, but we urge you, brothers, to keep on doing this even more. 11 Also, make it your goal to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may win the respect of outsiders, and have need of nothing.
Comfort about Christians who Have Died
13 But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve like other people who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus God will bring those who have died with him. 15 For we declare to you what the Lord has told us to say:[c] We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have died. 16 With a shout of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of God’s trumpet, the Lord himself will come down from heaven, and the dead who belong to the Messiah[d] will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So then, encourage one another with these words.
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