M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Queen of Sheba Visits Jerusalem
9 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions.[a] Accompanied by a large caravan train, including camels carrying an abundance of spices and gold, and precious stones, she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not explain to her.
3 When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built, 4 as well as the food on his table, the seating of his courtiers, the service and attire of his attendants, his cupbearers and their attire, and his procession with which he went up to the House of Adonai, it took her breath away.
5 She said to the king: “The report that I heard in my own land about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 6 But I did not believe their reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. And behold, not even half of the greatness of your wisdom was described to me—you surpass the report that I heard! 7 How blessed are your men, how blessed are your courtiers who continually stand in your presence and hear your wisdom. 8 Blessed be Adonai your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king before Adonai your God. Because your God loved Israel, establishing them forever, He made you king over them to execute justice and righteousness.”
9 Then she gave the king 120 gold talents, large quantities of spices and precious stones. There had never been such quantities of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 10 The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algumwood and precious stones. 11 From the sandalwood the king made ramps for the House of Adonai and for the royal palace, and lyres and harps for the singers—nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah. 12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for—more than what she had brought to the king. Then she with her courtiers, returned, going back to her own land.
Solomon Exceeds All the Earth’s Kings
13 Now the weight of gold that Solomon received in one year was 666 gold talents, 14 besides what the traders and merchants brought and the gold and silver that all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the region brought to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made 200 shields of beaten gold, 600 shekels of beaten gold for each shield, 16 and also 300 shields of beaten gold, 300 shekels of gold for each shield. The king put them in the palace of the Lebanon Forest. 17 Furthermore, the king made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps and a golden footstool attached to it, and arms on each side of the seat. Two lions stood beside the arms 19 and 12 lions stood on the six steps, one at each end of each step. None like it was ever made for any kingdom. 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold and all the vessels of the palace of the Lebanon Forest were of pure gold—silver was not considered valuable in the days of Solomon. 21 Because the king’s ships sailed to Tarshish with Huram’s servants once every three years, the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.
22 So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to listen to the wisdom that God had put in his heart. 24 Everyone brought his tribute—vessels of silver, vessels of gold, garments, armor, spices, horses and mules—in the due amount each year.
25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 And he ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt. 27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars as plentiful as the sycamore trees that are in the foothills. 28 Horses were brought for Solomon from Egypt and from all countries.
Solomon Buried in David’s City
29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, the beginning and the end, are they not written in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Jedo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel 40 years. 31 Then Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and Rehoboam his son became king in his
place.
Greeting
1 Judah, a slave of Yeshua the Messiah and brother of Jacob,
To those who are called, who are loved in God the Father, and kept safe for Yeshua the Messiah:
2 May mercy and shalom and love be multiplied to you!
Contend for the Faith with the Ungodly
3 Loved ones, though very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I felt it necessary to write to you urging you to continue to contend for the faith that was once for all handed down to the kedoshim. 4 For certain people have secretly slipped in—those who from long ago have been marked out for this judgment. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into indecency and deny our only Master and Lord, Yeshua the Messiah.
5 Now I wish to remind you—though you have come to know all things—that the Lord,[a] once having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels—who did not keep their own position of authority but deserted their proper place—He has kept in everlasting shackles under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great Day. [b] 7 In the same way as these angels, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them—having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after a different sort of flesh—are displayed as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.[c]
8 Yet in the same way these people also, by their visionary dreaming, defile the flesh, reject the Lord’s authority,[d] and defame glorious beings. 9 But when Michael the archangel, disputing with the devil, was arguing about the body of Moses, he did not dare to render a judgment against him for slander, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” [e] 10 But these people slander whatever they do not understand. And whatever they do understand instinctively—like animals without reason—by these things they are destroyed.
11 Woe to them! For they went the way of Cain; they were consumed for pay in Balaam’s error; and in Korah’s rebellion they have been destroyed. [f] 12 These people are hidden rocky reefs at your love feasts—shamelessly feasting with you, tending only to themselves.[g] They are waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame;[h] wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.[i]
14 It was also about these people that Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with myriads of His kedoshim, [j] 15 to execute judgment against all. He will convict all the ungodly for all their ungodly deeds that they have done in an ungodly way, and for all of the harsh things ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
16 These are bellyaching grumblers, following after their own desires. Their mouth speaks grandiose things, showing favoritism for the sake of gain. 17 But you, loved ones, ought to remember the words previously proclaimed by the emissaries of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah[k]— 18 how they kept telling you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following after their own ungodly desires.” [l] 19 These are the ones who cause divisions—worldly-minded, not having the Ruach
20 But you, loved ones, continue building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Ruach ha-Kodesh. 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, eagerly waiting for the mercy of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who are wavering— 23 save them by snatching them out of the fire;[m] but on others have mercy with fear—hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Hymn to God Our Savior
24 Now to the One who is able
to keep you from stumbling,
and to present you blameless
before the presence of His glory
with great joy,
25 to the only God our Savior,
through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord,
be glory, majesty, power, and authority,
before all time,[n] both now and forever. Amen.
Hand of Judgment Upon Idolaters
1 The word of Adonai that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah:
2 I will totally sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,
declares Adonai.
3 I will sweep away man and beast,
I will sweep away the birds of the sky
and the fish of the sea—
also the stumbling blocks—the wicked.
I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,
declares Adonai.[a]
4 “I will stretch out my hand upon Judah
and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place
—the names of the idolatrous priests along with the kohanim,
5 those bowing down on the roofs
to the host of the heavens.
those bowing down, swearing to Adonai
and also swearing by Molech
6 those turning from following Adonai,
not seeking Adonai or consulting Him.
The Day Is At Hand
7 Be silent before Adonai God.
For the day of Adonai is at hand![b]
Adonai has prepared a sacrifice,
He has consecrated his guests.
8 On the day of Adonai’s sacrifice,
I will punish the princes,
the king’s sons
and all who dress in foreign attire.
9 In that day I will punish
all who skip over the threshold
while filling their master’s House
with violence and deceit.
10 In that day—declares Adonai—
there will be the sound of screaming from the Fish Gate,
wailing from the second district
and a loud crash from the heights.
11 Howl, inhabitants of Maktesh![c]
For all the people of Canaan[d] are destroyed.
All who weigh out silver are cut off.
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
and punish the men whose spirits have hardened,
who say in their hearts,
‘Adonai will do neither good nor evil.’
13 Their wealth will become plunder,
their houses a ruin.
They will build houses
but not live in them.
They will plant vineyards
but not drink their wine.
14 The great day of Adonai is near—
near and coming very quickly!
The sound of the day of Adonai is bitter—
the shouting of the warrior is there.
15 That day is a day of wrath
a day of trouble and distress,
a day of devastating storm and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 a day of shofar and alarm
against the fortified cities
and against the high corner towers.
17 I will bring such distress upon mankind
that they will walk like the blind—
for they have sinned against Adonai.
Their blood will be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to rescue them
on the day of Adonai’s wrath.
With the fire of His passion
the entire earth will be consumed.
For He will make a total,
dreadful annihilation of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Brought Before Pilate
23 Then the entire assembly got up and brought Yeshua to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar and saying that He Himself is Messiah—a king.”
3 So Pilate questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”
“As you say,” Yeshua replied.
4 Then Pilate said to the ruling kohanim and the crowds, “I find no case against this Man.”
5 But they kept insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, starting from the Galilee to as far as here.”
6 But when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the Man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that Yeshua was from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
Brought Before Herod
8 Now Herod was overjoyed when he saw Yeshua, for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle done by Him. 9 He was questioning Yeshua on many issues, but Yeshua did not answer at all. [a] 10 And the ruling kohanim and the Torah scholars stood their ground, strongly accusing Him.
11 Now Herod together with his soldiers were treating Him with contempt and mocking Him.[b] They put splendid clothing on Him and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with one another from that very day, for previously they had been enemies with one another.
Pilate’s Decree
13 Now Pilate called together the ruling kohanim, the leaders, and the people. 14 And he said to them, “You brought this Man to me as one who incites the people to revolt. But having examined Him in your presence, I have found no case against this Man regarding what you accuse Him of doing. 15 Nor did Herod, for he sent Him back to us. Indeed, He has done nothing that is worthy of death. 16 Therefore I will scourge Him and release Him.” (17 )[c]
18 But they shouted out all together, saying, “Take this fellow away! Release to us Bar-Abba!” [d] 19 (He was someone who had been thrown into prison for a rebellion in the city and murder.)
20 Again Pilate addressed them, wanting to release Yeshua; 21 but they kept shouting out, saying, “Execute, execute Him!”
22 And a third time he spoke to them, “Why? What evil has this One done? I have found in Him no fault deserving of death. Therefore, I will scourge and release Him.”
23 But they were insistent, demanding with loud shouts that He be executed. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decreed that their demand be put into effect. 25 And He released the one they were asking for, the one thrown in jail for insurrection and murder. But he handed over Yeshua to their will.
Executed on the Stake
26 As they led Him away, they grabbed a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the countryside. They placed on him the cross-beam,[e] to carry behind Yeshua.
27 Now a great multitude of people was following Him, including women who were mourning and singing dirges for Him. 28 But Yeshua, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but for yourselves and your children. 29 For indeed, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are barren, and the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that did not feed.’
30 ‘Then they will begin to say to the montains, ‘Fall on us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’[f]
31 “For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Others, two evildoers, were also led away to be put to death with Him. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him and the evildoers, one on His right and the other on His left.
34 But Yeshua was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Then they cast lots, dividing up His clothing.[g]
35 The people stood there watching. And even the leaders were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Messiah of God, the Chosen One!”[h]
36 The soldiers likewise mocked Him, coming up and bringing Him sour wine, [i] 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”
38 Now there was also an inscription over Him:[j] THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the evildoers hanging there was jeering at Him, saying, “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself—and us!”
40 But the other one, rebuking him, replied, “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? 41 We’re getting what we deserve for our actions, and rightly so—but this One has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Yeshua, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
43 Yeshua said to him, “Amen, I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
Temple Curtain Torn in Two
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, [k] 45 for the sun died out. And the curtain[l] of the Temple was torn in two.
46 And Yeshua, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I entrust My spirit.’”[m] When He had said this, He breathed His last.
47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began glorifying God, saying, “Truly this was a righteous Man.”
48 And all the crowds assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, began to turn back, beating their breasts. 49 But all Yeshua’s acquaintances, and the women who were following Him from the Galilee, were standing at a distance, watching these things.
Buried in a Rich Man’s Tomb
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and righteous man. 51 (He had not been in agreement with the council and their action.) He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. 53 And he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb[n] cut out of the rock, where no one had ever yet been laid.
54 Now it was the Day of Preparation, and Shabbat was approaching. 55 The women who had come with Him from the Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. But on Shabbat they rested according to the commandment.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.