M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Ahab Takes Naboth’s Vineyard
21 After these things had happened, this is what followed. A man named Naboth owned a vineyard in Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab king of Israel. 2 One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard. It is near my palace, and I want to make it into a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or, if you prefer, I will pay you what it is worth.”
3 Naboth answered, “·May the Lord keep me from ever giving my land to you. It belongs to my family [L The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers/ancestors].”
4 Ahab went home ·angry and upset [resentful and sullen], because he did not like what Naboth from Jezreel had said. (Naboth had said, “I will not give you ·my family’s land [L the inheritance of my fathers/ancestors].”) Ahab lay down on his bed, turned his face to the wall, and refused to eat.
5 His wife, Jezebel, came in and asked him, “Why are you so ·upset [sullen; depressed] that you refuse to eat?”
6 Ahab answered, “I talked to Naboth, the man from Jezreel. I said, ‘Sell me your vineyard, or, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ But Naboth refused.”
7 Jezebel answered, “Is this how you ·rule as king [reign] over Israel? Get up, eat something, and cheer up. I will get Naboth’s vineyard for you.”
8 So Jezebel wrote some letters, signed Ahab’s name to them, and used his own seal to seal them. Then she sent them to the elders and ·important men [nobles] who lived in Naboth’s town. 9 The letter she wrote said: “Declare a day during which the people are to fast. Call the people together, and give Naboth a place of honor among them. 10 Seat two ·troublemakers [scoundrels] across from him, and have them say ·they heard Naboth speak against [“You cursed…”] God and the king. Then take Naboth out of the city and ·kill him with stones [stone him to death].”
11 The elders and important men of Jezreel obeyed Jezebel’s command, just as she wrote in the letters. 12 They declared a ·special day on which the people were to fast [fast]. And they put Naboth in a place of honor before the people. 13 Two ·troublemakers [scoundrels] sat across from Naboth and said in front of everybody ·that they had heard him speak against [“You cursed…”] God and the king. So the people carried Naboth out of the city and ·killed him with stones [stoned him to death]. 14 Then the leaders sent a message to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been ·killed [L stoned and is dead].”
15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been ·killed [L stoned and was dead], she told Ahab, “Naboth of Jezreel is no longer alive; he’s dead. Now you may go and take for yourself the vineyard he would not sell to you.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth of Jezreel was dead, he got up and went to the vineyard to take ·it for his own [possession of it].
17 At this time the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to the prophet Elijah the Tishbite. The Lord said, 18 “Go to Ahab king of Israel in Samaria. He is at Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take ·it as his own [possession of it]. 19 Tell Ahab that I, the Lord, say to him, ‘·You have [L Have you not…?] murdered Naboth and taken his land. So I tell you this: In the same place the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, they will also lick up your blood [1 Kin. 22:37–38]!’”
20 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said, “So you have found me, my enemy!”
Elijah answered, “Yes, I have found you. You ·have always chosen to do what the Lord says is wrong [L sold yourself to do evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. 21 So the Lord says to you, ‘I will ·soon destroy you [bring evil/disaster on you]. I will ·kill you [sweep you away] and ·every [L cut off every] ·male [L one who urinates against the wall] in your ·family [L house], both slave and free. 22 Your ·family [L house] will be like the ·family [L house] of King Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the ·family [L house] of King Baasha son of Ahijah. I will destroy you, because you have ·made me angry [provoked/aroused me to anger] and have led the people of Israel to sin.’
23 “And the Lord also says, ‘Dogs will eat the body of Jezebel in the ·city [fields; boundaries] of Jezreel [2 Kin. 9:30–37].’
24 “Anyone in Ahab’s ·family [L house] who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the ·fields [country] will be eaten by ·birds [vultures; L birds of the air/sky; 16:4].”
25 There was no one like Ahab who ·had chosen so often [L sold himself] to do ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], ·because his wife Jezebel influenced him to do evil [urged on by his wife Jezebel]. 26 Ahab ·sinned terribly [acted most detestably/abominably] by ·worshiping [following; going after] idols, just as the Amorites did. And the Lord had ·taken away their land and given it to [driven them out before] the people of Israel.
27 After Elijah finished speaking, Ahab tore his clothes. He put on ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap; C indicating sorrow and contrition] and fasted, and even slept in ·the rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap] and walked about ·dejectedly [despondently; with slow steps].
28 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “·I see that [L Have you seen how…?] Ahab ·is now sorry for what he has done [has now humbled himself before me]. So I will not ·cause the trouble to come to him during his life [L bring this evil/disaster on him during his days], but I will wait until his son is king. Then I will bring this ·trouble [evil; disaster] to Ahab’s ·family [L house].”
A Life that Pleases God
4 [L Finally; or Now then; Furthermore] Brothers and sisters, we taught you how to ·live [walk] in a way that will please God, and you are living that way. Now we ask and ·encourage [urge; appeal to] you in the Lord Jesus to ·live that way [excel; abound] even more. 2 [L For] You know what ·we told [instructions/commands we gave] you to do ·by the authority of [L through] the Lord Jesus. 3 ·God wants you to be holy and [or For this is God’s will, your sanctification:] to stay away from sexual sins. 4 He wants each of you to ·learn to control your own body [or take a wife for yourself; or live with your own wife; L gain/possess his own vessel] in a way that is holy and honorable. 5 ·Don’t use your body for sexual sin [L …not in lustful passion] like the ·people [L Gentiles] who do not know God. 6 Also, do not ·wrong [exploit; transgress] or ·cheat [take advantage of] another ·Christian [L brother (or sister)] in this way. The Lord ·will punish people who do those [L is the avenger concerning these] things as we have already told you and ·warned [solemnly testified to] you. 7 [L For] God did not call us to ·a life of sin [L impurity], but to holiness. 8 ·So [Therefore] the person who ·refuses to obey [disregards; rejects; despises] this teaching is not simply ·disobeying [disregarding; rejecting; despising] ·a human being [human authority], but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 We do not need to write you about ·having love for your Christian family [L brotherly love], because God has already taught you to love each other. 10 And truly you do love the ·Christians [L brothers (and sisters)] in all of Macedonia [1:7]. Now we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to ·love them [excel; abound; v. 1] even more. 11 ·Do all you can […and to aspire] to live a peaceful life. ·Take care of [Attend to; Mind] your own business, and ·do your own work [L work with your hands] as we have already ·told [instructed; commanded] you. 12 If you do, then you will ·win the respect of [or live a respectable/proper life before] ·unbelievers [L outsiders], and you will not have to depend on others for what you need.
The Lord’s Coming
13 Brothers and sisters, we ·want you to know [do not want you to be uninformed] about those ·Christians who have died [L who sleep; C a euphemism for death] so you will not ·be sad [grieve], as ·others [L the rest] who have no hope. 14 [L For] We believe that Jesus died and that he rose again. ·So, through him, God will raise with Jesus those who have died [or So God will bring with Jesus those who have died/L fallen asleep in him]. 15 What we tell you now is ·the Lord’s own message [L by the word of the Lord]. We who are ·living [still alive] when the Lord comes again will [L certainly; surely] not go before those who have ·already died [L fallen asleep]. 16 The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud ·command [or shout], ·with [or accompanied by; or preceded by] the voice of the archangel [C a leading or ruling angel; Dan. 10:13; Jude 9], and with the trumpet call of God. And ·those who have died believing [L the dead] in Christ will rise first [1 Cor. 15:51–57]. 17 After that, we who are ·still alive [or alive and are left] will be ·gathered [caught; taken] up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And [L so; in this way] we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So ·encourage [comfort] each other with these words.
The Gold Idol and Blazing Furnace
3 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ·ninety feet [L sixty cubits] high and ·nine feet [L six cubits] wide [C unclear whether the statue was of Nebuchadnezzar or a Babylonian god like Marduk] and set it up on the plain of Dura [C from a Babylonian word meaning “wall” or “fortress”] in the ·area [L province] of Babylon. 2 Then he ·called for the leaders: [L …sent for] the ·governors [satraps], ·assistant governors [prefects], ·captains of the soldiers [governors], ·people who advised the king [counselors], ·keepers of the treasury [treasurers], ·judges [justices], ·rulers [magistrates], and all other officers ·in his kingdom [L of the provinces]. He wanted them to ·come [assemble] ·to the special service for [for the dedication of] the statue he had set up. 3 So ·they all [L the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, justices, magistrates, and all other officers of the provinces] came for the ·special service [dedication] and stood in front of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then the herald [C someone who made royal announcements] said in a loud voice, “People, nations, and those of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 When you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers [C a string instrument], harps, pipes, and all the other musical instruments, you must ·bow [L fall] down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Anyone who doesn’t ·bow [L fall] down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Now people, nations, and those who spoke every language were there. When they heard the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers [v. 5], pipes, and all the other musical instruments, they ·bowed [L fell] down and worshiped the gold statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Then some ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans] came up to the king and ·began speaking against [denounced; L ate pieces of] the men of Judah. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 O king, you ·gave a command [L set a decree] that everyone who heard the horns, lyres, zithers [v. 5], harps, pipes, and all the other musical instruments would have to ·bow [L fall] down and worship the gold statue. 11 Anyone who wouldn’t ·do this [L fall down and worship] was to be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 O king, there are some men of Judah whom you ·made officers in [L appointed/delegated over] the ·area [province] of Babylon that did not pay attention to your order. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They do not serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”
13 Nebuchadnezzar ·became very angry [flew into a rage] and called for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were brought to the king, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods nor worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 In a moment you will again hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, zithers [v. 5], harps, pipes, and all the other musical instruments. If you ·bow [L fall] down and worship the statue I made, that will be good. But if you do not worship it, you will immediately be thrown into the blazing furnace. What god will be able to ·save [rescue; deliver] you from my ·power [L hands] then?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, saying, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves to you. 17 If you throw us into the blazing furnace, the God we ·serve [L fear; Prov. 1:7] is able to save us from the furnace. He will save us from your ·power [L hand], O king. 18 But even if God does not save us, we want you, O king, to know this: We will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up [Ex. 20:3–6].”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and ·he changed his mind [or his appearance changed; L his image/visage of his face changed]. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he commanded some of the ·strongest soldiers in his army [L men mighty in strength] to ·tie up [bind] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So ·Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [L the men] were ·tied up [bound] and thrown into the blazing furnace while still wearing their ·robes [tunics], trousers, turbans, and other clothes. 22 The king’s command was ·very strict [urgent], and the furnace was made so hot that the flames killed the strong soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the furnace. 23 Firmly tied, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was so surprised that he ·jumped to his feet [rose up in haste]. He asked the men who advised him, “Didn’t we tie up only three men and throw them into the fire?”
They answered, “·Yes [True], O king.”
25 The king said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They are not ·tied [bound] up, and they are not ·burned [hurt]. The fourth man looks like a son of the gods [C a divine figure].”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar ·went to [approached] the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, come out! Servants of the Most High God, come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. 27 When they came out, the ·governors [satraps], ·assistant governors [prefects], ·captains of the soldiers [governors], and ·royal advisers [counselors] crowded around them and saw that the fire had ·not harmed [L no power over] their bodies. Their hair was not ·burned [singed], their ·robes [tunics] were not burned, and they didn’t even smell like smoke!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their God has sent his ·angel [or messenger] and ·saved [rescued; delivered] his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God and ·refused to obey [defied] ·my [L the king’s] command. They were willing to ·die [L forfeit/yield up their bodies] rather than serve or worship any god other than their own God. 29 So I now give this ·command [decree]: Anyone from any nation or ·language [L tongue] who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn ·apart [limb from limb] and have his house turned into a pile of stones [2:5; Ezra 6:11]. No other god can ·save [rescue; deliver] his people like this.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the ·area [province] of Babylon.
Book 5: Psalms 107–150
God Saves from Many Dangers
107 Thank the Lord because he is good.
His ·love [loyalty] continues forever.
2 That is what those whom the Lord has ·saved [redeemed] should say.
He has ·saved [redeemed] them from the ·enemy [foe]
3 and has gathered them from other lands,
from east and west, north and south [Is. 51:11; C perhaps after the Babylonian exile].
4 Some people had wandered in the ·desert lands [L wilderness, wasteland].
They found no way to a city in which to live.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and they were ·discouraged [faint].
6 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved [rescued; protected] them from their troubles [vv. 13, 19, 28].
7 He led them on a straight road
to a city where they could live.
8 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 15, 21, 31].
9 He satisfies the thirsty
and fills ·up [L with good things] the hungry [Is. 58:10–11; Jer. 31:25; Luke 1:53].
10 Some sat in ·gloom [darkness] and ·darkness [deep darkness];
they were prisoners ·suffering [afflicted] in ·chains [irons].
11 They had ·turned [rebelled] against the words of God
and had ·refused [rejected] the advice of God Most High.
12 So he ·broke their pride by [L made their hearts cower with] hard work.
They stumbled, and no one helped.
13 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved them from [gave them victory over] their troubles [vv. 6, 19, 28].
14 He brought them out of their ·gloom [darkness] and ·darkness [deep darkness]
and ·broke [burst] their chains.
15 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 21, 31].
16 He ·breaks down [shatters] bronze gates
and cuts apart iron bars.
17 Some ·fools turned against God [L became fools in the way of transgression]
and ·suffered [were afflicted] ·for the evil they did [L because of their guilt].
18 ·They refused to eat anything [L Their appetite loathed any food],
so they ·almost died [L approached the gates of death].
19 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved them [gave them victory] from their troubles [vv. 6, 13, 28].
20 God ·gave the command [L sent forth his word] and healed them,
so they were ·saved [rescued] from ·dying [destruction; or their pits].
21 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 15, 31].
22 Let them offer ·sacrifices to thank him [thanksgiving offerings].
With joy they should ·tell [recount] what he has done.
23 Others went out to sea in ships
and did ·business [work] on the ·great oceans [L many waters].
24 They saw what the Lord could do,
the ·miracles [worderful works] he did in the deep oceans.
25 He spoke, and a ·storm [L stormy wind] ·came [L stood] up,
which ·blew [raised] up high waves.
26 ·The ships [L They] ·were tossed as high as [L went up to] the ·sky [heavens] and fell low to the depths.
·The storm was so bad that they lost their courage [L Their life/soul melted in evil/trouble].
27 They ·stumbled [reeled; leapt] and ·fell [tottered; staggered] like people who were drunk.
·They did not know what to do [L All their wisdom was confused].
28 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
and he ·saved [L brought them out] them from their troubles [vv. 6, 13, 19].
29 He ·stilled [quieted] the storm
and ·calmed [hushed] the waves.
30 They were happy that it was quiet,
and God guided them to the ·port [harbor] they wanted.
31 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 15, 21].
32 Let them ·praise his greatness [exalt him] in the ·meeting [assembly] of the people;
let them praise him in the meeting of the elders.
33 He ·changed [turned; L set] rivers into a ·desert [wilderness]
and springs of water into ·dry [parched; thirsty] ground.
34 He made ·fertile [fruitful] land salty
because the people there did evil [Gen. 19].
35 He ·changed [turned; L set] the ·desert [wilderness] into pools of water
and ·dry [parched] ground into springs of water.
36 He had the hungry settle there
so they could ·build [establish] a city in which to live.
37 They ·planted seeds in the fields and vineyards [L sowed fields and planted vineyards],
and they had a ·good harvest [fruitful crop].
38 God blessed them, and they ·grew in number [multiplied greatly].
Their cattle did not ·become fewer [diminish].
39 Because of ·disaster [oppression], ·troubles [evil], and sadness,
·their families [L they] ·grew smaller [diminished] and ·weaker [were brought low].
40 He ·showed he was displeased with [L poured contempt on] their ·leaders [princes]
and made them wander in a pathless ·desert [waste].
41 But he lifted the ·poor [needy] out of their suffering
and ·made their families grow [L set their clans] like flocks of sheep.
42 ·Good people [The upright/virtuous] see this and are happy,
but the wicked ·say nothing [L shuts their mouths].
43 Whoever is wise will ·remember [keep; guard] these things
and will ·think about [consider] the ·love [loyalty] of the Lord.
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