M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Altar for Burning Offerings
38 Then Bezalel used acacia wood to build the altar. This was the altar used for burning offerings. The altar was square. It was 5 cubits[a] long, 5 cubits wide, and 3 cubits[b] high. 2 He made a horn for each of the four corners of the altar. He joined each horn to its corner so that everything was one piece. He covered the altar with bronze. 3 Then he used bronze to make all the tools to be used on the altar. He made the pots, shovels, bowls, forks, and pans. 4 Then he made a bronze grating for the altar. This grating was shaped like a net. The grating was put under the ledge at the bottom of the altar. It went halfway up into the altar from below. 5 Then he made bronze rings to hold the poles for carrying the altar. He put the rings at the four corners of the grating. 6 Then he used acacia wood to make the poles and covered them with bronze. 7 He put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar to carry it. He used boards to make the sides of the altar. It was hollow, like an empty box.
8 He made the bowl and its base with bronze. He used the bronze mirrors that the women gave. These were the women who served at the entrance to the Meeting Tent.
The Courtyard Around the Holy Tent
9 Then he made a wall of curtains around the courtyard. On the south side, he made a wall of curtains 100 cubits[c] long. The curtains were made from fine linen. 10 The curtains on the south side were supported by 20 posts. The posts were on 20 bronze bases. The hooks for the posts and the curtain rods[d] were made from silver. 11 The north side of the courtyard also had a wall of curtains 100 cubits long. There were 20 posts with 20 bronze bases. The hooks for the posts and the curtain rods were made from silver.
12 On the west side of the courtyard the wall of curtains was 50 cubits[e] long. There were 10 posts and 10 bases. The hooks for the posts and the curtain rods were made from silver.
13 The east side of the courtyard was 50 cubits wide. The entrance to the courtyard was on this side. 14 On one side of the entrance the wall of curtains was 15 cubits[f] long. There were three posts and three bases on this side. 15 The wall of curtains on the other side of the entrance was also 15 cubits long. There were three posts and three bases on that side. 16 All the curtains around the courtyard were made from fine linen. 17 The bases for the posts were made from bronze. The hooks and the curtain rods were made from silver. The tops of the posts were covered with silver also. All the posts in the courtyard had silver curtain rods.
18 The curtain for the entrance of the courtyard was made from fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn. Designs were woven into that curtain. The curtain was 20 cubits[g] long and 5 cubits high. It was the same height as the curtains around the courtyard. 19 The curtain was supported by four posts and four bronze bases. The hooks on the posts were made from silver. The tops on the posts were covered with silver, and the curtain rods were also made from silver. 20 All the tent pegs for the Holy Tent and for the curtains around the courtyard were made from bronze.
21 Moses commanded the Levites to write down everything that was used to make the Holy Tent, that is, the Tent of the Agreement. Ithamar son of Aaron was in charge of keeping the list.
22 Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses. 23 Also Oholiab son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, helped him. Oholiab was a skilled worker and designer. He was skilled at weaving fine linen and blue, purple, and red yarn.
24 The people gave over a ton[h] of gold as an offering to the Lord for his holy place. (This was weighed using the official measure.)
25-26 All the men 20 years old or older were counted. Each man had to pay a tax of 1 beka[i] of silver. (Using the official measure, 1 beka is 1/2 shekel.[j]) There were 603,550 men. So they collected about 7550 pounds of silver. 27 They used most of the silver to make 100 bases for the Holy Tent and its curtains, 75 pounds[k] for each base. 28 They used the remaining 44 pounds[l] of silver to make the hooks, the curtain rods, and the silver covers for the posts.
29 They gave more than 2 1/2 tons[m] of bronze. 30 That bronze was used to make the bases at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. They also used the bronze to make the altar and the bronze grating. And the bronze was used to make all the tools and dishes for the altar. 31 It was also used to make the bases for the curtains around the courtyard and the bases for the curtains at the entrance. And the bronze was used to make the tent pegs for the Holy Tent and for the curtains around the courtyard.
Jesus Prays for Himself and His Followers
17 After Jesus said these things, he looked toward heaven and prayed, “Father, the time has come. Give glory to your Son so that the Son can give glory to you. 2 You gave the Son power over all people so that he could give eternal life to all those you have given to him. 3 And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God, and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. 4 I finished the work you gave me to do. I brought you glory on earth. 5 And now, Father, give me glory with you. Give me the glory I had with you before the world was made.
6 “You gave me some people from the world. I have shown them what you are like. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your teaching. 7 Now they know that everything I have came from you. 8 I told them the words you gave me, and they accepted them. They realized the fact that I came from you and believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them now. I am not praying for the people in the world. But I am praying for these people you gave me, because they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And my glory is seen in them.
11 “Now I am coming to you. I will not stay in the world, but these followers of mine are still in the world. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. Then they will be one, just as you and I are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. I protected them. And only one of them was lost—the one who was sure to be lost. This was to show the truth of what the Scriptures said would happen.
13 “I am coming to you now. But I pray these things while I am still in the world. I say all this so that these followers can have the true happiness that I have. I want them to be completely happy. 14 I have given them your teaching. And the world has hated them, because they don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world.
15 “I am not asking you to take them out of the world. But I am asking that you keep them safe from the Evil One. 16 They don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 17 Make them ready for your service through your truth. Your teaching is truth. 18 I have sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. 19 I am making myself completely ready to serve you. I do this for them, so that they also might be fully qualified for your service.
20 “I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. 21 Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me.
24 “Father, I want these people you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. 25 Father, you are the one who always does what is right. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these followers of mine know that you sent me. 26 I showed them what you are like, and I will show them again. Then they will have the same love that you have for me, and I will live in them.”
14 A wise woman makes her home what it should be, but the home of a foolish woman is destroyed by her own actions.[a]
2 Those who live right respect the Lord, but dishonest people hate him.
3 Foolish words cause you trouble; wise words protect you.
4 A barn with no cattle might be clean, but strong bulls are needed for a good harvest.
5 A good witness is one who does not lie. A bad witness is a liar who cannot be trusted.
6 Anyone who makes fun of wisdom will never find it, but knowledge comes easily to those who understand its value.
7 Stay away from fools, there is nothing they can teach you.
8 Wisdom lets smart people know what they are doing, but stupid people only think they know.
9 Fines are needed to make fools obey the law, but good people are happy to obey it.
10 When you are sad, no one else feels the pain; and when you are happy, no one else can really feel the joy.
11 An evil person’s house will be destroyed, but a good person’s family will do well.
12 There is a way that people think is right, but it leads only to death.
13 Laughter might hide your sadness. But when the laughter is gone, the sadness remains.
14 Evil people will be paid back for the wrong they do, and good people will be rewarded for the good they do.
15 Fools believe every word they hear, but wise people think carefully about everything.
16 Wise people are careful and avoid trouble; fools are too confident and careless.
17 A quick-tempered person does stupid things, but it is also true that people don’t like anyone who quietly plans evil.
18 Fools are rewarded with more foolishness. Smart people are rewarded with knowledge.
19 Good people will defeat those who are evil, and the wicked will be forced to show respect to those who live right.
20 The poor have no friends, not even their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
21 It is wrong to say bad things about your neighbors. Be kind to the poor, and you will be blessed.
22 Whoever works to do good will find love and loyalty. It is a mistake to work at doing evil.
23 If you work hard, you will have plenty. If you do nothing but talk, you will not have enough.
24 A wise person’s reward is wealth, but a fool’s reward is foolishness.
25 A witness who tells the truth saves lives, but one who tells lies hurts others.
26 People who respect the Lord will be safe, and they will make their children feel secure.
27 Respect for the Lord gives true life and will save you from death’s trap.
28 Kings of large nations have great honor. Rulers without a country have nothing.
29 A patient person is very smart. A quick-tempered person makes stupid mistakes.
30 Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.
31 Whoever takes advantage of the poor insults their Maker, but whoever is kind to them honors him.
32 The wicked will be defeated by their evil, but good people are protected by their honesty.[b]
33 A wise person is always thinking wise thoughts, but a fool knows nothing about wisdom.
34 Goodness makes a nation great, but sin is a shame to any people.
35 Kings are pleased with intelligent officials, but they will punish shameful ones.
1 Greetings from Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ.
To all of you in Philippi who are God’s holy people in Christ Jesus, including your elders[a] and special servants.
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s Prayer
3 I thank God every time I remember you. 4 And I always pray for all of you with joy. 5 I thank God for the help you gave me while I told people the Good News. You helped from the first day you believed until now. 6 I am sure that the good work God began in you will continue until he completes it on the day when Jesus Christ comes again.
7 I know I am right to think like this about all of you because you are so close to my heart. This is because you have all played such an important part in God’s grace to me—now, during this time that I am in prison, and whenever I am defending and proving the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows that I want very much to see you. I love all of you with the love of Christ Jesus.
9 This is my prayer for you:
that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love; 10 that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important; that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ; 11 that your life will be full of the many good works that are produced by Jesus Christ to bring glory and praise to God.
Paul’s Troubles Help the Lord’s Work
12 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that all that has happened to me has helped to spread the Good News. 13 All the Roman guards and all the others here know that I am in prison for serving Christ. 14 My being in prison has caused most of the believers to put their trust in the Lord and to show more courage in telling people God’s message.
15 Some people are telling the message about Christ because they are jealous and bitter. Others do it because they want to help. 16 They are doing it out of love. They know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News. 17 But those others tell about Christ because of their selfish ambition. Their reason for doing it is wrong. They only do it because they think it will make trouble for me in prison. 18 But that doesn’t matter. What is important is that they are telling people about Christ, whether they are sincere or not. So I am glad they are doing it.
I will continue to be glad, 19 because I know that your prayers and the help the Spirit of Jesus Christ gives me will cause this trouble to result in my freedom.[b] 20 I am full of hope and feel sure I will not have any reason to be ashamed. I am certain I will continue to have the same boldness to speak freely that I always have. I will let God use my life to bring more honor to Christ. It doesn’t matter whether I live or die. 21 To me, the only important thing about living is Christ. And even death would be for my benefit.[c] 22 If I continue living here on earth, I will be able to work for the Lord. But what would I choose—to live or to die? I don’t know. 23 It would be a hard choice. Sometimes I want to leave this life and be with Christ. That would be much better for me; 24 however, you people need me here alive. 25 I am sure of this, so I know that I will stay here and be with you to help you grow and have joy in your faith. 26 When I am there with you again, you will be bursting with pride over what Christ Jesus did to help me.
27 Just be sure you live as God’s people in a way that honors the Good News of Christ. Then if I come and visit you or if I am away from you, I will hear good things about you. I will know that you stand together with the same purpose and that you work together like a team to help others believe the Good News. 28 And you will not be afraid of those who are against you. All of this is proof from God that you are being saved and that your enemies will be lost. 29 God has blessed you in ways that serve Christ. He allowed you to believe in Christ. But that is not all. He has also given you the honor of suffering for Christ. Both of these bring glory to Christ. 30 You saw the difficulties I had to face, and you hear that I am still having troubles. Now you must face them too.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International