M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Ruth’s Redemption

3 One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, why should I not find a home that will be good for you? ² Now is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you have been working? Tonight he winnows barley on the threshing floor. ³ Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴ When he lies down, notice the place where he is lying. Go in and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what you will do.”

⁵ She said to her, “All that you say to me I will do.” ⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor and did all that her mother-in-law had instructed.

⁷ When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then Ruth came softly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. ⁸ At midnight, the man was startled and rolled over; and there, a woman was lying at his feet.

⁹ He said, “Who are you?”

And she answered, “I am Ruth, your maidservant. Spread your cloak over me, for you are a redeeming kinsman.”

¹⁰ He said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last act of kindness to be greater than the first, because you have not pursued young men, whether poor or rich. ¹¹ So now, my daughter, do not worry. All that you ask me, I will do for you. All of my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character. ¹² Now it is true that I am a redeeming kinsman. Yet there is another redeemer closer than I am. ¹³ Stay here tonight, and in the morning if he wants to redeem you, very well. Let him do so. Yet if he does not want to redeem you, then I will redeem you. I will, as the Lord lives! Sleep here until morning.”

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but she arose before one could recognize another. Then he said, “It must not be known that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

¹⁵ He said, “Bring me the shawl you have on you, and hold it.” So she held it, and he poured six measures of barley into it and placed it on her. Then she went into the city.

¹⁶ When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi said, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then she told her all that Boaz had done for her. ¹⁷ She said, “He gave me these six ephahs of barley, for he said to me, ‘Do not return to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’ ”

¹⁸ Then Naomi said, “Wait here, my daughter, until you learn what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

Boaz Marries Ruth

4 So Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. And now the redeemer of whom he had spoken passed by, and Boaz said, “Come over, friend, and sit here.” So he went over and sat down.

² Then Boaz took ten men from among the elders of the town and said, “Sit here.” So they sat down. ³ He said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, must sell the plot of land belonging to our brother Elimelek. ⁴ I thought I should inform you and say, ‘Buy it in the presence of those sitting here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you want to redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not redeem it, tell me so that I know, for there is no one prior to you to redeem it, and I am next after you.’ ”

So he said, “I will redeem it.”

⁵ Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased, to perpetuate the name of the deceased through his inheritance.”

⁶ The redeemer replied, “I am not able to redeem it for myself lest I ruin my own inheritance. Take my redemption rights for yourself, for I cannot do it.”

⁷ (Now this was the custom in ancient times in Israel for redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, a man would remove his sandal and give it to his neighbor. This was a binding act in Israel.)

⁸ Therefore the redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself,” and he removed his sandal.

⁹ Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought everything that belonged to Elimelek, Kilion, and Mahlon from Naomi. ¹⁰ Moreover I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, in order to preserve the name of the deceased man for his inheritance, so that his name will not be cut off from among his brothers or from his town. You are witnesses this day.”

¹¹ Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you do well in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem! ¹² May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring that the Lord will give you by this young woman.”

The Genealogy of David

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she bore a son. ¹⁴ Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a redeemer. May he become famous in Israel! ¹⁵ He will be a comfort for your soul and support you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child, laid him on her lap, and became his nurse. ¹⁷ The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

¹⁸ Now these are the descendants of Perez:

Paul in Malta

28 When they had escaped, they learned that the island was called Malta. ² The natives showed extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because of the rain and the cold. ³ When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper driven out by the heat fastened on his hand. ⁴ When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice does not allow him to live.” ⁵ But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They expected him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But while they waited and saw no harm befall him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

⁷ In that area was an estate of the chief man of the island, named Publius, who had welcomed us and courteously housed us for three days. ⁸ It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and, placing his hands on him, prayed and healed him. ⁹ When this happened, the rest on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰ They honored us in many ways. And when we sailed, they provided us with necessary supplies.

Paul Arrives in Rome

¹¹ After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. ¹² Landing at Syracuse, we waited there for three days. ¹³ From there we circled around and sailed to Rhegium. After one day the south wind blew, and the next day we arrived at Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found brothers, and were invited to remain with them for seven days. And so we went to Rome. ¹⁵ From there, when the brothers heard of us, they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius^[a] and the Three Taverns^[b] to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶ When we arrived at Rome, the centurion handed the prisoners over to the captain of the guard. But Paul was allowed to remain by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

Paul Preaches in Rome

¹⁷ After three days Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, having done nothing contrary to our people or the customs of our fathers, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. ¹⁸ When they had examined me, they were determined to release me, because there was no charge against me deserving death. ¹⁹ But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any charge to bring against my nation. ²⁰ For this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, because I am bound with this chain for the hope of Israel.”

²¹ They said to him, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers that have come have reported or spoken any evil of you. ²² But we think it is proper to hear from you what you think. For concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ When they had arranged a day to be with him, many came to him at his residence. From morning until evening he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God to them, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. ²⁴ Some believed what was said, but some did not believe. ²⁵ Being in disagreement with one another, they were dismissed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit accurately spoke to our fathers through Isaiah the prophet,

²⁸ “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles. They will hear it!”

²⁹ When he had said these words, the Jews departed and disputed greatly among themselves. ³⁰ Paul remained two whole years in his own rented house. He welcomed all who came to him, ³¹ boldly and freely preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah Thrown Into a Cistern

38 Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jukal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malkijah heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying: ² Thus says the Lord: He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. But he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live, for he shall have his life as plunder, and shall live. ³ Thus says the Lord: This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, and he will capture it.

⁴ Therefore the officials said to the king, “We beseech you, let this man be put to death, for he thus weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them; for this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.”

⁵ Then Zedekiah the king said, “Here he is; he is in your hand; for the king cannot do anything against you.”

⁶ Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malkijah the son of Hammelech that was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with cords. And in the cistern there was no water, only mud, so Jeremiah sank in the mud.

⁷ Now Ebed-Melek the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. Now the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin. ⁸ Ebed-Melek went forth out of the king’s house and spoke to the king, saying, ⁹ “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern. And he will die by hunger in the place where he is, for there is no more bread in the city.”

¹⁰ Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Ethiopian, saying, “Take thirty men with you from here and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

¹¹ So Ebed-Melek took the men under his authority and went into the house of the king under the storeroom and took from there worn-out clothes and worn-out rags and let them down by cords into the cistern to Jeremiah. ¹² Then Ebed-Melek the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these worn-out clothes and worn-out rags under your armpits under the cords,” so Jeremiah did accordingly. ¹³ Then they drew Jeremiah up with cords and took him up out of the cistern, and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah Again

¹⁴ Then Zedekiah the king sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance that is in the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something; hide nothing from me.”

¹⁵ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, shall you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”

¹⁶ So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the Lord lives, who made our souls, I surely will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

¹⁷ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then your soul will live and this city will not be burned with fire. Thus you and your household will live. ¹⁸ But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon’s officials, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire, and you will not escape out of their hand.”

¹⁹ Then Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have fallen over to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand and mock me.”

²⁰ But Jeremiah said, “They will not deliver you. Please obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you, so it will be well with you and your soul will live. ²¹ But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the Lord has shown me: ²² Then all the women who are left in the house of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon; and those women shall say:

²³ “So they will bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans. And you will not escape out of their hand, but will be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon; and you will cause this city to be burned with fire.”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know of these words, and you will not die. ²⁵ But if the officials hear that I have talked with you and they come to you and say to you, ‘Declare to us now what you said to the king and what the king said to you; do not hide it from us and we will not put you to death,’ ²⁶ then you will say to them, ‘I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there.’ ”

²⁷ Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him. And he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded; so they stopped speaking with him, for the matter was not overheard.

²⁸ So Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was captured.

Psalm 11

For the Music Director. A Psalm of David.

Psalm 12

For the Music Director. According to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.