M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The People Complain Again
14 That night all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] in the camp began crying loudly. 2 All the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] ·complained [grumbled] against Moses and Aaron, and all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] said to them, “We wish we had died in Egypt or in this ·desert [wilderness]. 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to ·be killed with [L make us fall by] swords? Our wives and children will be ·taken away [war plunder]. We would be better off going back to Egypt.” 4 They said to each other, “Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron ·bowed [L fell] facedown in front of all the ·Israelites [L assembly/crowd of the community/congregation/assembly of the sons/T children of Israel] gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who had ·explored [spied on] the land, tore their clothes [C ritual of grief]. 7 They said to all of the ·Israelites [L community/congregation/assembly of the sons/T children of Israel], “The land we ·explored [spied on] is very good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land and give us that ·fertile land [L land flowing with milk and honey; Ex. 3:8]. 9 Don’t ·turn [rebel] against the Lord! Don’t be afraid of the people in that land! We will chew them up. They have no protection, but the Lord is with us. So don’t be afraid of them.”
10 Then all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly] talked about ·killing them with stones [stoning them]. But the glory of the Lord [C representing his manifest presence] appeared at the Meeting Tent to all the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. 11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people ·ignore [despise] me? How long will they not believe me in spite of the ·miracles [signs] I have done among them? 12 I will ·give them a terrible sickness [L strike them with disease/pestilence] and ·get rid of [disinherit; dispossess] them. But I will make you into a great nation that will be stronger than they are [Ex. 32:10].”
13 Then Moses said to the Lord, “The Egyptians will hear about it! You brought these people from there by your great power [Ex. 12–15], 14 and the Egyptians will tell this to those who live in this land [C Canaan]. They have already heard about you, Lord. They know that you are with your people and that you were seen face to face. They know that your cloud [C representing God’s presence] stays over your people and that you lead your people with that cloud during the day and with fire at night [Ex. 13:20–22]. 15 If you put these people to death all at once, the nations who have heard about your power will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he ·promised [swore to] them. So he ·killed [slaughtered] them in the ·desert [wilderness].’
17 “So show your strength now, Lord. Do what you said: 18 ‘The Lord ·doesn’t become angry quickly [is slow to anger], but he has great ·love [covenant love; loyalty; Ex. 34:6; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Nah. 1:3]. He forgives sin and ·law breaking [transgression]. But the Lord never forgets to punish guilty people. ·When parents sin, he will also punish [L He visits the sin/iniquity/guilt of the fathers on] their children, their grandchildren, their great-grandchildren, and their great-great-grandchildren [Ex. 20:5–6].’ 19 By your great ·love [covenant love; loyalty], forgive these people’s sin, just as you have forgiven them from the time they left Egypt until now.”
20 The Lord answered, “I have forgiven them as you asked. 21 But, as surely as I live and as surely as my glory fills the whole earth, I make this promise: 22 All these people saw my glory and the ·miracles [signs] I did in Egypt and in the ·desert [wilderness], but they ·disobeyed me [L did not listen to my voice] and tested me ten times [C symbolic for many times]. 23 So not one of them will see the land I ·promised [swore to give] to their ancestors. No one who ·rejected [despised] me will see that land. 24 But my servant Caleb ·thinks differently [L has a different spirit] and follows me completely. So I will bring him into the land he has already seen, and his ·children [seed] will ·own [possess] that land [Josh. 15:13–19; Judg. 1:9–15]. 25 Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, leave tomorrow and follow the ·desert [Wilderness] road toward the ·Red [or Reed; Ex. 10:19] Sea.”
The Lord Punishes the People
26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 27 “How long will these evil ·people [community; congregation; assembly] ·complain [grumble] about me? I have heard the ·complaining [grumbling] of these ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. 28 So tell them, ‘This is ·what the Lord says [L the utterance/decree of the Lord]. I heard what you said, and as surely as I live, I will do those very things to you: 29 ·You will die [L Your dead bodies will fall] in this ·desert [wilderness]. Every one of you who is twenty years old or older [C of military age] and who was counted with the people [1:1–54]—all of you who ·complained [grumbled] against me—will die. 30 Not one of you will enter the land where I ·promised [L lifted my hand; C as when swearing an oath] you would live; only Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun will go in. 31 You said that your children would be ·taken away [war plunder], but I will bring them into the land to enjoy what you refused. 32 As for you, ·you will die [L your bodies will fall] in this ·desert [wilderness]. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years. Because you were ·not loyal [unfaithful; C the term suggests sexual unfaithfulness as a metaphor of spiritual unfaithfulness], they will suffer until ·you lie dead [the last of your bodies lie] in the ·desert [wilderness]. 34 For forty years you will suffer for your sins—a year for each of the forty days you ·explored [spied on] the land. You will know me as your enemy.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will certainly do these things to all ·these evil people [this evil community/congregation/assembly] who have come together against me. So they will all die here in this ·desert [wilderness].”
36 The men Moses had sent to ·explore [spy on] the land had returned and ·spread complaints [grumbled] among all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly]. They had given a bad report about the land. 37 The men who gave a very bad report died; the Lord killed them with a terrible ·sickness [plague]. 38 Only two of the men who ·explored [spied on] the land did not die—Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh.
39 When Moses told these things to all the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel], they ·were very sad [mourned greatly]. 40 Early the next morning they started to go toward the top of the mountains, saying, “We have sinned. We will go where the Lord told us.”
41 But Moses said, “Why are you ·disobeying [transgressing] the Lord’s command? You will not ·win [succeed]! 42 Don’t go, because the Lord is not with you and you will be ·beaten [struck down] by your enemies. 43 You will run into the Amalekites and Canaanites, who will ·kill [L fell] you with swords. You have turned away from the Lord, so the Lord will not be with you.”
44 But they were ·proud [presumptuous; reckless]. They went toward the top of the mountains, ·but [or even though] Moses and the Ark of the ·Agreement [Treaty; Covenant; Ex. 25:10] with the Lord did not leave the camp. 45 The Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those mountains came down and ·attacked the Israelites [L struck them down] and beat them back all the way to Hormah.
God Wants True Worship
A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12].
50 The God of gods, the Lord, speaks.
He ·calls [proclaims to; summons] the earth from the rising to the setting sun.
2 God shines from ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple],
·whose beauty is perfect [L the perfection of beauty; 48:2; Lam. 2:15].
3 Our God comes, and he will not be silent.
A fire ·burns [consumes] in front of him [Heb. 12:29],
and a ·powerful storm [whirlwind; tempest] surrounds him [Is. 66:15].
4 He ·calls to [summons] the ·sky [heavens] above and to the earth
that he might judge his people.
5 He says, “Gather around, you ·who worship me [holy ones; saints],
who have made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with me, using a sacrifice [Ex. 24:5–8].”
6 God is the judge,
and even the ·skies say he is right [heavens proclaim his righteousness]. ·
7 God says, “My people, listen to me;
Israel, I will ·testify [witness] against you.
I am God, your God.
8 I do not ·scold [reprimand; rebuke] you for your sacrifices.
You always bring me your burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17].
9 But I do not ·need [or accept] bulls from your ·stalls [L house]
or goats from your ·pens [folds],
10 because every animal of the forest is already mine.
The cattle on a thousand hills are mine.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
and every living thing in the fields is mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
because the earth and ·everything in it [L its fullness] are mine.
13 ·I don’t [L Do I…?] eat the meat of bulls
or drink the blood of goats.
14 Give an ·offering to show thanks [thank offering] to God [Lev. 7:12; 22:29; Heb. 13:15].
Give God Most High what you have ·promised [vowed].
15 Call to me in times of ·trouble [distress].
I will ·save [rescue; T deliver] you, and you will ·honor [glorify] me.”
16 But God says to the wicked,
“Why do you ·talk about [recount] my ·laws [statutes; ordinances; requirements]?
Why do you ·mention [L lift up on your mouth] my ·agreement [covenant; treaty]?
17 You hate my ·teachings [instruction; discipline; Prov. 1:7]
and turn your back on what I say.
18 When you see a thief, you ·join [delight in; or run with] him.
·You take part in adultery [Your lot/portion is with adulterers].
19 You ·don’t stop your mouth from speaking evil [L send your mouth into evil],
and your tongue ·makes up lies [L is yoked to deception].
20 You sit around and speak against your brother
and ·lie [L give a stain/fault] about your mother’s son.
21 I have kept quiet while you did these things,
so you thought I was just like you.
But I will ·scold [reprimand; reprove] you
and ·accuse [indict] you ·to your face [L before your eyes].
22 “·Think about [Understand] this, you who forget God.
Otherwise, I will tear you apart,
and no one will ·save [protect] you.
23 Those people ·honor [glorify] me
who bring me ·offerings to show thanks [thank offerings; v. 14].
And I, God, will save those who ·do that [L go on my way/path].”
God Will Punish Judah and Jerusalem
3 ·Understand this [L Look/T Behold now]:
The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
·will [or is about to] take away ·everything [L every support and supply] Judah and Jerusalem need—
all [L supplies of] the food and water,
2 the ·heroes [mighty ones] and ·great soldiers [men of war],
the judges and prophets,
·people who do magic [diviners; fortune-tellers] and elders,
3 the ·military leaders [L captain/ruler of fifty] and ·government leaders [people of influence/high standing],
the ·counselors [advisers], the skilled ·craftsmen [or magicians], and ·those who try to tell the future [skillful enchanters/astrologers].
4 The Lord says, “I will cause ·young boys [youths] to be your ·leaders [rulers; princes],
and ·foolish children [or capricious youths] will rule over you [Eccl. 10:5–7, 17].
5 People will ·be against [oppress] each other; everyone will be against his neighbor.
Young people will ·not respect [arrogantly defy] older people,
and ·common people [the despised/dishonorable] will not respect ·important people [the honorable].”
6 At that time a man will grab one of his brothers
·from his own family [L in his father’s house] and say,
“You have a ·coat [cloak; C a sign of a little wealth], so you will be our leader.
These ruins will be under your ·control [charge; rule; L hand].”
7 ·But [L In that day] that brother will ·stand up [or cry out] and say,
“I ·cannot help you [L am no binder (of wounds)],
because I do not have food or ·clothes [cloak] in my house.
You will not make me ·your leader [L leader of the people/nation].”
8 This will happen because Jerusalem has stumbled,
and Judah has fallen.
The things they say and do are against the Lord;
they ·turn against [rebel against; defy] ·him [L his glory/glorious presence].
9 The look on their faces ·shows they are guilty [testifies against them];
like the people of Sodom [Gen. 18–19], they ·are proud of [flaunt; parade; declare] their sin.
They don’t ·care who sees [conceal; hide] it.
·How terrible it will be for them [L Woe to their soul],
because they have brought ·much trouble [disaster; evil] on themselves.
10 Tell ·those who do what is right [the righteous] that things will go well for them,
because they will ·receive a reward for what they do [L eat the fruit of their actions].
11 ·But how terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the wicked!
·They will be punished for all the wrong they have done [L Because the reward/recompense of his hands will be done to him].
12 Children ·treat my people cruelly [oppress my people],
and ·women [or creditors; usurers] rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you ·in the wrong way [astray]
and ·turn you away [mislead you; or confuse you] from ·what is right [the right road; L your paths].
13 The Lord takes his place ·in court [to judge/contend]
and stands to judge the people.
14 The Lord ·presents his case [or comes forward to pronounce judgment]
against the elders and other ·leaders [rulers; princes] of his people:
“You have ·burned [ruined; ravaged] the vineyard.
·Your houses are full of [L In your houses are] what you ·took [stole; plundered] from the poor.
15 What gives you the right to crush my people
and grind the faces of the ·poor into the dirt [L poor]?”
The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says this.
A Warning to Women of Jerusalem
16 The Lord says,
“The ·women of Jerusalem [L daughters of Zion] are ·proud [haughty; arrogant].
They walk around with ·their heads held high [L an outstretched neck],
and they flirt with their eyes.
·They take quick, short steps […prancing/mincing along],
·making noise with their ankle bracelets [L jingling with their feet].”
17 So the Lord will put ·sores [scabs; skin lesions] on the heads of those ·women in Jerusalem [L daughters of Zion],
and he will ·make them lose their hair [lay bare/make bald their forehead].
18 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord will take away ·everything that makes them proud [their beauty/glory]: their beautiful ankle bracelets, their headbands, their ·necklaces shaped like the moon [L crescents], 19 their ·earrings [or pendants], bracelets, and veils, 20 their ·scarves [headdresses], ·ankle chains [or armlets], the ·cloth belts worn around their waists [sashes], their ·bottles of perfume [sachets], and ·charms [amulets], 21 their signet rings, nose rings, 22 their ·fine robes [festal robes; fine gowns], capes, ·shawls [cloaks], and purses, 23 their mirrors, linen ·dresses [garments; undergarments], ·turbans [or tiaras], and ·long shawls [or flowing veils].
24 Instead of ·wearing sweet-smelling perfume [spice; fragrance], ·they will stink [there will be stench/decay].
Instead of ·fine cloth belts [a sash], ·they will wear the ropes of captives [L a rope].
Instead of ·having their hair fixed in fancy ways [an elegant coiffure], ·they will be bald [baldness].
Instead of ·fine clothes [an expensive robe], ·they will wear clothes of sadness [burlap; sackcloth].
·Instead of being beautiful, they will wear the brand of a captive [L Branding instead of beauty].
25 At that time your men will ·be killed with swords [L fall by the sword],
and your ·heroes [mighty/strong ones] will die in war.
26 ·There will be crying and sadness near the city gates [L Her gates will lament and mourn].
·Jerusalem will be like a woman who has lost everything and sits on the ground [L Deserted/Destitute, she will sit on the ground].
4 ·At that time [L In that day] seven women will grab one man [C war will have decimated the male population]
and say, “We will eat our own bread
and ·make [wear] our own clothes [C things a husband would normally provide],
but ·please marry us [L let us be called by your name]!
Please, take away our ·shame [disgrace; C from having no husband or children].”
The Branch of the Lord
2 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord’s branch [C either the produce of the land or a title for the Messiah (11:1; Jer. 23:5)] will be very beautiful and ·great [glorious]. ·What grows on the land [The fruit of the land] will be the pride and ·joy [glory] of the ·people still living in the land [L survivors in Israel]. 3 Those who ·are still living in Jerusalem [L remain in Zion and those who are left in Jerusalem] will be called holy; ·their names [L all who] are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the ·filth [vomit; excrement] from the women of Jerusalem. He will ·wash [cleanse] the bloodstains out of Jerusalem ·with the spirit of fairness and the spirit of fire [or with a wind/spirit of judgment and burning fire; or by the Spirit of judgment and burning fire]. 5 Then the Lord will ·cover [L create over] Mount Zion and ·the people who meet there [all her assemblies] with a cloud of smoke during the day and with a bright, flaming fire at night [Ex. 13:21; 14:19–20]. There will be a ·covering of glory over every person [or canopy over all the glory]. 6 This covering will ·protect the people [L be a shelter for shade] from the heat ·of the sun [by day] and ·will provide a safe place to hide [a refuge and shelter] from the storm and rain.
What Is Faith?
11 Faith means ·being sure [the assurance; or the tangible reality; or the sure foundation] of the things we hope for and ·knowing that something is real even if we do not see it [the conviction/assurance/evidence about things not seen]. 2 Faith is the reason ·we remember [or God commended/approved] ·great people who lived in the past [the people of old; the ancients; our spiritual ancestors].
3 It is by faith we understand that the ·whole world [universe; cosmos; ages] was made by God’s ·command [word; Gen. 1] so what we see was ·made by something that cannot be seen [L not made from/by visible things].
4 It was by faith that Abel offered God a ·better [more acceptable] sacrifice than Cain [Gen. 4:4–8]. God ·said he was pleased with [commended him for; bore testimony to] the gifts Abel offered and ·called Abel [commended him as; testified that he was] a ·good [righteous] man because of his faith. Abel died, but through his faith he is still speaking [12:24].
5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken to heaven so he would not ·die [experience/L see death]. He could not be found, because God had taken him away [Gen. 5:22–24]. Before he was taken, ·the Scripture says that he was [L he was commended as] a man who truly pleased God. 6 [L And] Without faith no one can please God. [L For; Because] Anyone who comes to God must believe that he ·is real [exists] and that he rewards those who ·truly want to find [earnestly/sincerely seek] him.
7 It was by faith that Noah heard God’s warnings about things he could not yet see [Gen. 6:13–22]. He ·obeyed God [responded with reverent fear] and built a ·large boat [T ark] to save his ·family [household]. By his faith, Noah ·showed that the world was wrong [L condemned/pronounced judgment against the world], and he became ·one of those who are made right with God [L an heir of the righteousness that comes] through faith.
8 It was by faith Abraham obeyed God’s call to go to another place ·God promised to give him [L he would later receive as an inheritance; Gen. 12:1–4, 7]. He left his own country, not knowing where he was ·to go [going]. 9 It was by faith that he lived like a ·foreigner [stranger; resident alien] in the ·country God promised to give him [Promised Land]. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who ·had received [were co-heirs of] that same promise from God. 10 [L For] Abraham was waiting for the city [C the heavenly Jerusalem, symbolic of the presence of God; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 21:2] that has real foundations—the city ·planned and built by [L whose architect/designer and builder is] God.
11 ·He was too old to have children, and Sarah [or Sarah was too old and] ·could not have children [was barren/sterile]. It was by faith that ·Abraham was made able to become a father, because he [or Sarah was made able to bear children, because she] ·trusted God [L considered God faithful/trustworthy] to do what he had promised[a] [Gen. 21:2]. 12 This man was so old he was ·almost [as good as] dead, but from ·him [L one man] ·came [L were fathered/T begotten] as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Like the sand on the seashore, they could not be counted [Gen. 15:5; 22:17; 32:12].
13 All these great people died in faith. They did not ·get [receive] the things that God promised his people, but they saw them ·coming far in the future [L from afar] and ·were glad [welcomed/greeted them]. They ·said [acknowledged/recognized that] they were like ·strangers [foreigners] and ·visitors [sojourners; refugees; resident aliens] on earth. 14 When people say such things, they show they are looking for a ·country that will be their own [homeland]. 15 If they had been thinking about the country they had left, they ·could have gone back [L would have had an opportunity to return]. 16 But [as it is; L now] they were ·waiting [desiring; longing] for a better country—a heavenly one. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.
17 It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice [Gen. 22:1–10]. ·God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham [L The one who received the promises] was ready to offer his ·own [unique; one of a kind; John 3:16] son as a sacrifice. 18 God had said, “·The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac [Through Isaac your offspring/seed will carry on your name; Gen. 21:12].” 19 Abraham ·believed [considered; reasoned] that God ·could [had the power to] raise the dead, and ·really [in one sense; in a manner of speaking; figuratively speaking], it was as if Abraham ·got [received] Isaac back from death.
20 It was by faith that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau ·in regard to their future [L concerning things to come; Gen. 27]. 21 It was by faith that Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each one of Joseph’s sons [Gen. 49]. Then he ·worshiped [or bowed in reverent worship] as he leaned on the top of his ·walking stick [staff; Gen. 47:31].
22 It was by faith that Joseph, while he was dying, spoke about ·the Israelites leaving Egypt [L the exodus of the children/sons of Israel] and ·gave instructions [commanded] about ·what to do with his body [L his bones; Gen. 50:24–25; Ex. 13:19].
23 It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born [Ex. 2:2–3]. [L …because] They saw that Moses was a ·beautiful baby [or special child], and they were not ·afraid to disobey [intimidated by; L afraid of] the king’s order.
24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of ·the king of Egypt’s [L Pharaoh’s] daughter [Ex. 2:10]. 25 He chose to ·suffer [be mistreated/oppressed] with God’s people instead of enjoying ·sin for a short time [L the temporary/fleeting pleasures of sin]. 26 He thought it was better to suffer ·for [the disgrace/stigma/ humilation of] ·Christ [or the Messiah/Anointed One] than to have all the treasures of Egypt, because ·he was looking for [or his eyes were fixed on] God’s reward. 27 It was by faith that Moses left Egypt and was not afraid of the king’s anger [Ex. 10:28–29]. Moses ·continued strong [persevered; was resolute] as if he could see the ·God that no one can see [L one who is invisible; v. 13]. 28 It was by faith that Moses ·prepared [celebrated; kept] the Passover [Ex. 12] and ·spread the blood on the doors [L the sprinkling of blood; 10:22] so the ·one who brings death [destroyer] would not ·kill [L touch] the firstborn sons of Israel [Ex. 12:7, 13, 29–30].
29 It was by faith that the people crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land [Ex. 14:21–30]. But when the Egyptians tried it, they were ·drowned [destroyed; L swallowed].
30 It was by faith that the walls of Jericho fell after the people had ·marched around [encircled] them for seven days [Josh. 6].
31 It was by faith that Rahab, the prostitute, ·welcomed [L welcomed with peace] the spies and ·was not killed [did not perish] with ·those who refused to obey God [the disobedient; or the unbelievers; Josh. 2].
32 ·Do I need to give more examples [L What more shall I say]? I do not have time to tell you about Gideon [Judg. 6—8], Barak [Judg. 4], Samson [Judg. 13—16], Jephthah [Judg. 10:6—12:15], David [1 Sam. 16—1 Kin. 2], Samuel [1 Sam. 1—16], and the prophets. 33 Through their faith they defeated kingdoms. They ·did what was right [practiced righteousness; or administered justice], received ·God’s promises [or what God promised], and shut the mouths of lions [Dan. 6]. 34 They ·stopped [quenched; extinguished] great fires and ·were saved [escaped; fled] from being killed with swords. ·They were weak, and yet were made strong [Their strength was turned to weakness; or They recovered from illnesses]. They were powerful in battle and ·defeated [routed; drove back] ·other [foreign] armies. 35 Women received their dead relatives raised back to life [1 Kin. 17:22; 2 Kin. 4:35]. [But] Others were tortured and refused to accept ·their freedom [release; redemption] so they could ·be raised from the dead [gain/obtain a resurrection] to a better life. 36 Some were ·laughed at [mocked] and ·beaten [flogged; scourged]. Others were put in chains and thrown into prison [Gen. 39:20; Jer. 20:2; 37:15]. 37 They were stoned to death [1 Kin. 21:13], they were ·cut [sawn] in half [C Jewish tradition reported that Isaiah was martyred this way],[b] and they were killed with swords [1 Kin. 19:10; Jer. 26:23]. Some ·wore [L traveled about in] the skins of sheep and goats. They were ·poor [destitute], ·abused [persecuted; oppressed], and treated badly. 38 The world was not ·good enough for [worthy of] them! They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the earth.
39 All these people ·are known for [were commended for; or won approval through] their faith, but none of them received what God had promised. 40 God ·planned to give us [had provided] something better so that they would be made perfect, but ·only together with us [L not without us].
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