M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
5 Finally all the work Solomon did for the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord was finished. He brought in everything his father David had ·set apart [dedicated] for the ·Temple [L house]—all the silver and gold and other ·articles [utensils]. And he ·put [stored] everything in the treasuries of God’s ·Temple [L house].
The Ark Is Brought into the Temple(A)
2 Solomon ·called for [summoned; assembled; convened] the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, and the ·leaders [chiefs] of the ·families [clans] to come to him in Jerusalem. He wanted them to bring the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty; L Testimony] with the Lord from ·the older part of the city [L the city of David, that is, Zion]. 3 So all the Israelites came together with the king during the festival in the seventh month [C the Festival of Shelters or Tabernacles or Booths held in early autumn].
4 When all the ·elders [men] of Israel arrived, the Levites ·lifted [picked; took] up the Ark. 5 They ·carried [brought up] the ·Ark of the Agreement [L ark; Ex. 25:10], the ·Meeting Tent [Tabernacle], and the ·holy utensils [sacred furnishings] in it; the ·priests and the Levites [Levitical priests] brought them up. 6 King Solomon and all the ·Israelites [L congregation/community of Israel] gathered before the ·Ark of the Agreement [L ark] and sacrificed so many sheep and ·bulls [oxen] no one could count or record them.
7 Then the priests put the Ark of the ·Agreement [covenant; treaty; L Testimony] with the Lord in its place inside the inner sanctuary of the ·Temple [L house], the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies], under the wings of the ·golden creatures [L cherubim]. 8 The wings of ·these creatures [L cherubim] were spread out over the place for the Ark, ·covering [forming a canopy over] it and its carrying poles. 9 The carrying poles were so long that anyone standing in the ·Holy Place [inner sanctuary] in front of the ·Most Holy Place [T Holy of Holies] could see the ends of the poles. But no one could see them from outside the Holy Place. The poles are still there today. 10 The only things inside the Ark were two stone tablets [C inscribed with the Ten Commandments] that Moses had put in the Ark at ·Mount Sinai [L Horeb]. That was where the Lord made his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
11 Then all the priests ·left [came out of; withdrew from] the Holy Place. (All the priests ·from each group [regardless of their divisions/orders; or whether they were serving that day or not] had ·made themselves ready to serve the Lord [consecrated/purified/sanctified themselves].) 12 All the Levite ·musicians [singers]—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun [C all associated with certain psalms; see titles of Ps. 50, 73–83 (Asaph), 88 (Heman), 39, 62, 77 (Jeduthun)], and all their sons and ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers]—stood on the east side of the altar. They were dressed in ·white [fine] linen and played cymbals, harps, and lyres. ·With [Accompanying] them were one hundred twenty priests who blew trumpets. 13 Those who blew the trumpets and those who sang ·together sounded like one person [performed in unison] as they praised and thanked the Lord. They sang ·as others played their [accompanied by] trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments. They praised the Lord with this song:
“He is good;
his ·love [unfailing love; lovingkindness; loyalty] ·continues [endures] forever [Ps. 136:1].”
Then the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord was filled with a cloud. 14 The priests could not continue their ·work [service] because of the cloud, because the Lord’s ·glory [splendor] filled the ·Temple [L house] of God.
Solomon Speaks to the People
6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord said he would live in the ·dark cloud [thick cloud; thick cloud of darkness]. 2 Lord, I have built a ·wonderful [magnificent; glorious; lofty] ·Temple [L house] for you—a place for you to ·live [dwell] forever.”
3 While all the ·Israelites [L community of Israel] were standing there, King Solomon turned to them and blessed them. 4 Then he said, “·Praise [Bless] the Lord, the God of Israel. He has ·done [L fulfilled with his hand] what he ·promised [spoke] to my father David [2 Sam. 7:1–16]. The Lord said, 5 ‘Since the ·time [L day] I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a ·Temple [L house] will be built for ·me [L my name to be there]. I did not choose a man to ·lead [rule] my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem ·as the place I am to be worshiped [L for my name to be], and I have chosen David to ·lead [rule] my people Israel.’
7 “My father David wanted to build a ·Temple [L house] for ·the [L the name of the] Lord, the God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘·It was good that you [You did well to have] wanted to build a ·Temple [L house] for me. 9 But you are not the one to build it. Your son, who ·comes from your own body [will be born to you], is the one who will build ·my Temple [L the house for my name].’
10 “Now the Lord has ·kept his promise [L established the word he spoke]. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I ·rule [L sit on the throne of] Israel as the Lord promised, and I have built the ·Temple [L house] for ·the [L the name of the] Lord, the God of Israel. 11 There I have put the Ark, in which is the ·Agreement [covenant; treaty] the Lord made with the ·Israelites [people of Israel].”
Warning Against False Teachers
4 ·My dear friends [L Beloved], many false prophets [Deut. 13:1–5; 18:14–22; Mark 13:22] have gone out into the world. So do not ·believe [trust] every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God [C the false teachers evidently claimed that their teaching was from the Spirit; 1 Cor. 12:1–3; 14:29; 1 Thess. 5:19–21]. 2 This is how you can ·know [recognize] God’s Spirit: Every spirit [C a teacher/prophet claiming inspiration from the Spirit] who ·confesses [acknowledges] that Jesus Christ came ·to earth as a human [L in the flesh] is from God. 3 And every spirit who ·refuses to say this about Jesus [L does not confess/acknowledge Jesus] is not from God [2 John 7]. It is the spirit of the ·enemy of Christ [L antichrist; 2:18, 22], which you have heard is coming, and now he is already in the world.
4 ·My dear children [2:1], you ·belong to [L are from] God and have ·defeated [conquered; overcome] them [C the antichrists/false teachers]; because ·God’s Spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world [L that which is in you is greater than that which is in the world]. 5 And they ·belong to [L are from] the world, so what they say is from the world, and the world ·listens to [hears; obeys] them. 6 But we ·belong to [are from] God, and those who know God ·listen to [hear; obey] us. But those who are not from God do not ·listen to [hear; obey] us. That is how we ·know [recognize] the Spirit that is true and the spirit that ·is false [deceives; errs].
Love Comes from God
7 ·Dear friends [L Beloved], ·we should [let us] love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has ·become God’s child [L been begotten/fathered by God] and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God ·showed [revealed] his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. 10 This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son ·to die in our place to take away our sins [as the atoning sacrifice/T propitiation for our sins; see 2:2].
11 ·Dear friends [Beloved], if God loved us ·that much [or in this way; John 3:16] we also should love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God [C God the Father; John 1:18], but if we love each other, God ·lives [remains; abides] ·in [or among] us, and his love ·is made perfect [is made complete; comes to full expression] in us.
13 [L By this] We know that we ·live [abide; remain] in God and he ·lives [abides; remains] in us, because he gave us [L of; from; 3:24] his Spirit [C we share in his Spirit]. 14 We have seen and can ·testify [witness; proclaim] that the Father sent his Son ·to be [or as] the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever ·confesses [acknowledges] that Jesus is the Son of God has God ·living [abiding; remaining] inside, and that person ·lives [abides; remains] in God. 16 And so we ·know [have come to know] the love that God has for us, and we ·trust [believe; rely on] that love.
God is love. Those who ·live [abide; remain] in love ·live [abide; remain] in God, and God ·lives [abides; remains] in them. 17 This is how love ·is made perfect [is made complete; comes to full expression] ·in [or among] us: that we can ·be without fear [have boldness; have confidence; 2:28; 3:21; 5:14] on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him [C probably referring to Christ, our example of love]. 18 ·Where God’s love is, there is no fear [L There is no fear in love], because ·God’s perfect love drives out fear [T perfect love casts out fear]. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made ·perfect [complete] in the person who fears [C fear of punishment, not an appropriate fear of God; compare Prov. 1:7; 2 Cor. 7:15; Phil. 2:12].
19 We love because ·God [L he] first loved us. 20 If people say, “I love God,” but hate their brothers or sisters [C fellow believers], they are liars. [L For] Those who do not love their brothers and sisters [C fellow believers], whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen. 21 And ·God gave us this command [L we have this command from him]: Those who love God must also love their brothers and sisters [C fellow believers; John 13:34].
It Will Be Terrible for Nineveh
3 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the city ·that has killed so many [L of blood].
It is full of lies
and ·goods stolen from other countries [plunder].
It is ·always killing somebody [L never empty of prey].
2 Hear the sound of whips
and the ·noise [rumble; shaking] of the wheels.
Hear horses galloping
and chariots bouncing along!
3 ·Horses [Cavalry; Horsemen] are charging,
swords are ·shining [flashing],
spears are gleaming!
Many are ·dead [slain];
their bodies are piled up—
too many to count.
People stumble over the dead bodies.
4 ·The city was like a prostitute [For her many acts of prostitution];
she was ·charming [graceful] and a ·lover of magic [L mistress of sorceries].
She made nations slaves with her prostitution
and her ·witchcraft [sorcery; charms].
5 “I am against ·you, Nineveh [L you],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
“I will pull your dress up over your face
and show the nations your nakedness
and the kingdoms your shame [C the punishment of a prostitute in the ancient Near East].
6 I will throw filthy garbage on you
and ·make a fool of you [treat you with contempt].
I will make ·people stare at you [you a spectacle].
7 Everyone who sees you will ·run away [or turn away in disgust] and say,
‘Nineveh is in ruins. Who will ·cry [grieve; lament] for her?’
Nineveh, where will I find anyone to comfort you?”
8 You are no better than ·Thebes [L No Amon; C meaning “city of (the god) Amon”; This capital of Upper Egypt, thought to be impregnable, was destroyed by the Assyrians in 663 bc],
who sits by the Nile River
with water all around her.
The river was her ·defense [rampart];
the waters were like a wall around her.
9 Cush [C ancient Ethiopia or Nubia] and Egypt gave her endless strength;
Put and Libya supported her [C neighboring countries allied with Egypt].
10 But Thebes was captured
and went into ·captivity [exile].
Her ·small children [infants] were ·beaten to death [dashed to pieces]
at every street corner.
Lots were thrown for her ·important men [nobles; C parceled out as slaves],
and all of her ·leaders [great ones] were put in chains.
11 You [C Nineveh] will be drunk, too.
You will hide;
you will ·look for a place safe [seek refuge] from the enemy.
12 All your ·defenses [fortresses] are like fig trees with ripe fruit.
When the tree is shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.
13 Look at your soldiers.
They are all women [C meaning helpless or physically weak]!
The gates of your land
are wide open for your enemies;
fire has ·burned [consumed; devoured] the bars of your gates.
14 ·Get enough water before the long war begins [Draw water for the siege].
Make your defenses strong!
Get mud,
mix clay,
·make bricks [strengthen the brickwork]!
15 There the fire will ·burn you up [consume/devour you].
The sword will ·kill you [cut you down];
·like grasshoppers eating crops, the battle will completely destroy you [it will devour you like locusts].
Grow in number like ·hopping [or young] locusts;
grow in number like ·swarming [or flying] locusts!
16 Your ·traders [merchants] are more than the stars in the sky,
but like locusts they ·strip the land [or shed their skin] and then fly away.
17 Your guards are like locusts.
Your officers are like swarms of locusts
that ·hang [settle; encamp] on the walls on a cold day.
When the sun comes up, they fly away,
and no one knows where they have gone.
18 King of Assyria, your ·rulers [L shepherds] are asleep;
your ·important men [nobles; officers] lie down ·to rest [or dead].
Your people have been scattered on the mountains [C like sheep],
and there is no one to ·bring them back [gather them].
19 Nothing can heal your wound;
your ·injury [wound] ·will not heal [is fatal].
Everyone who hears ·about you applauds [will clap their hands over you],
because ·everyone has [L who has not…?] felt your endless cruelty.
Zacchaeus Meets Jesus
19 Jesus [L entered and] was going through the city of Jericho. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus, who was a ·very important [chief; leading] tax collector [C with oversight over other tax collectors, and so even more hated; see 18:10], and he was wealthy. 3 He ·wanted [was trying] to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because he was too short to see above the crowd. 4 He ran ahead to a place where Jesus ·would come [was about to pass], and he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see him. 5 When Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down! [L For; Because] I must stay at your house today.”
6 Zacchaeus came down quickly and welcomed him ·gladly [joyfully]. 7 All the people saw this and began to ·complain [murmur; grumble], “Jesus ·is staying with [has gone in to lodge with/be the guest of] a sinner!”
8 But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord [C the scene presumably changes here to a meal at Zacchaeus’ home], “[L Look; T Behold] I ·will give [or I am now giving] half of my possessions to the poor. And ·if I have cheated anyone [or to those I have cheated/extorted], I will pay back four times more [C a generous response, since the law required only restitution plus one-fifth; Lev. 6:1–5].”
9 Jesus said to him, “Salvation has come to this house today, because this man also ·belongs to the family [L is a son] of Abraham. 10 [L For; Because] The Son of Man came to ·find [seek out] lost people and save them.”
A Story About Three Servants(A)
11 As ·the people [L they; C either the disciples, the guests of Zacchaeus, or the larger crowd] were listening to this, Jesus told them a ·story [parable] because he was near Jerusalem and ·they thought [it seemed to them] God’s kingdom would appear immediately. 12 He said: “A ·very important man [nobleman] went to a country far away to ·be made a king [L receive a kingdom] and then to return home [C Judean kings, like Herod the Great and his son Archelaus, received their authority to rule from the emperor in Rome]. 13 So he called ten of his ·servants [slaves] and gave a coin [C Greek: mina; worth 100 denarii, or about 3 months’ wages] to each servant. He said, ‘·Do business with [Invest; Trade with] this money until I get back.’ 14 But ·the people in the kingdom [L his citizens/subjects] hated the man. So they sent a ·group [delegation; embassy] to follow him and say, ‘We don’t want this man to ·be our king [L rule/reign over us].’
15 “But the man ·became king [L received the kingdom]. When he returned home, he said, ‘Call those ·servants [slaves] who have my money so I can know how much they earned with it.’
16 “The first servant came and said, ‘Sir, ·I earned ten coins with the one you gave me [L your mina has earned ten minas].’ 17 The king said to the servant, ‘Excellent! ·You are a good servant [Good servant/slave!]. Since ·I can trust you [you have been faithful] with small things, I will let you ·rule [govern; L have authority] over ten of my cities.’
18 “The second servant said, ‘Sir, ·I earned five coins with your one [L your mina earned five minas].’ 19 The king said to this servant, ‘You can ·rule [be; take charge] over five cities.’
20 “Then another servant came in and said to the king, ‘Sir, here is your ·coin [mina] which I ·wrapped [stored away] in a ·piece of cloth [handkerchief] and hid. 21 [L For; Because] I was afraid of you, because you are a ·hard [harsh; demanding; severe] man. You even take ·money that [L out what] you didn’t ·earn [L put in] and ·gather food that [harvest what] you didn’t ·plant [sow].’ 22 Then the king said to the servant, ‘I will ·condemn [judge] you ·by your own words [L from your mouth], you ·evil [wicked; or worthless] servant. You knew that I am a ·hard [harsh; demanding; severe] man, taking ·money that [L out what] I didn’t ·earn [L put in]and ·gathering food that [L harvesting what] I didn’t ·plant [sow]. 23 Why then didn’t you put my money ·in the bank [L on the table; C referring to the banker’s table]? Then when I came back, my money would have earned some interest.’
24 “·The king [He] said to the men who were standing by, ‘Take the ·coin [L mina] away from this servant and give it to the servant who earned ten ·coins [L minas].’ 25 They said, ‘But sir, that servant already has ten ·coins [L minas].’ 26 ·The king said [L I say to you], ‘Those who have will be given more, but those who do not have anything ·will have everything [L even what they have will be] taken away from them. 27 Now ·where are my enemies [or concerning those enemies] who didn’t want me to ·be king [rule/reign over them]? Bring them here and ·kill [slay; slaughter] them before me.’”
Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a King(B)
28 After Jesus said this, he went on [L ahead, going up] toward Jerusalem. 29 As Jesus came near Bethphage and Bethany, towns near the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent out two of his ·followers [disciples]. 30 He said, “Go to the town ·you can see there [ahead of you; or opposite you; C unclear whether Bethphage or Bethany]. When you enter it, you will find a ·colt [young donkey] tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me. 31 If anyone asks you why you are untying it, say that ·the Master [the Lord; or its Owner] needs it.”
32 The two ·followers [L who were sent] went into town and found ·the colt [or the situation] just as Jesus had told them. 33 As they were untying it, its ·owners [masters] came out and asked the followers, “Why are you untying our ·colt [young donkey]?”
34 The followers answered, “·The Master [The Lord; Its Owner] needs it.” 35 So they brought it to Jesus, threw their ·coats [garments] on the ·colt’s [young donkey’s] back, and put Jesus on it. 36 As Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, others spread their coats on the ·road [path; way] before him.
37 As he was coming close to Jerusalem, on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of ·followers [disciples] began joyfully shouting praise to God for all the ·miracles [mighty works] they had seen. 38 They said,
“·God bless [Blessed is] the king who comes in the name of the Lord [Ps. 118:26]!
·There is peace [or May there be peace; L Peace] in heaven and glory ·to God [L in the highest; C either “in highest heaven” or “to the Most High God”]!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, ·tell your followers not to say these things [L rebuke your disciples].”
40 But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if ·my followers didn’t say these things [L they remained silent], then the stones would ·cry out [start shouting].”
Jesus Cries for Jerusalem
41 As Jesus came near Jerusalem, he saw the city and ·cried for [wept over] it, 42 saying, “·I wish you [L If you, even you,] ·knew [recognized] today what would bring you peace. But now it is hidden from ·you [L your eyes]. 43 ·The time is coming [L For the days will come upon you] when your enemies will build ·a wall around you [ramparts against your walls] and will ·hold you in [L surround and close you in] on all sides. 44 They will ·destroy you [level you; smash you to the ground] and all your ·people [L children within your walls], and not one stone will be left on another. All this will happen because you did not recognize the time ·when God came to save you [L of your visitation; C the failure to recognize God’s “visit” in Jesus (see 1:68, 78) will result in a divine “visit” in judgment].”
Jesus Goes to the Temple(C)
45 Jesus went into the Temple and began to ·throw [drive] out the people who were selling things there. 46 He said, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My ·Temple [L House] will be a house for prayer [Is. 56:7].’ But you have ·changed [made] it into a ‘·hideout for robbers’ [T den of thieves; Jer. 7:11]!”
47 Jesus ·taught [was teaching] in the Temple every day. The ·leading [T chief] priests, the ·experts on the law [scribes], and some of the leaders of the people ·wanted [were looking for a way] to ·kill [destroy] Jesus. 48 But they ·did not know how they could [could not find a way to] do it, because all the people were ·listening closely to him [hanging on his every word].
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