M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon(A)
10 When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s reputation with the Lord, she came to test him[a] with difficult questions. 2 She brought along a large retinue, camels laden with spices, and lots of gold and precious stones. Upon her arrival, she spoke with Solomon about everything that was on her mind.[b] 3 Solomon answered all of her questions. Nothing was hidden from Solomon that he did not explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon’s wisdom for herself, the palace that he had built, 5 the food set at his table, his servants who sat with him, his ministers in attendance and how they were dressed, his personal staff[c] and how they were dressed, and even his personal stairway by which he went up to the Lord’s Temple, she was breathless!
6 “Everything I heard about your wisdom and what you have to say is true!” she gasped, 7 “but I didn’t believe it at first! But then I came here and I’ve seen it for myself! It’s amazing! I wasn’t told half of what’s really great about your wisdom. You’re far better in person than what the reports have said about you! 8 How blessed are your staff! And how blessed are your employees,[d] who serve you continuously and get to listen to your wisdom! 9 And blessed be the Lord your God, who is delighted with you! He set you in place on the throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel forever. That’s why he made you to be king, so you could carry out justice and implement righteousness.”
10 Then she gave the king 120 talents[e] of gold, a vast quantity of spices, and precious stones. No spices ever came again that were comparable to those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 11 Hiram’s ships that brought gold from Ophir,[f] also brought from Ophir[g] lots of algum wood[h] and precious stones. 12 The king used the algum wood[i] to have supports made for the Lord’s Temple and for the royal palace, as well as lyres and harps for the choir,[j] and nothing like that wood[k] has ever come again or even been seen since right to this day. 13 In return, King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and had requested in addition to what he had given her consistent with his generosity. Afterward, she returned to her own land with her servants.
Solomon’s Wealth(B)
14 Solomon’s annual revenue was 666 talents[l] of gold, 15 not including revenue from traders, merchants, and from all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold, overlaying each large shield with the gold from 600 gold pieces,[m] 17 and 300 shields from beaten gold, overlaying each shield with the gold from 300 gold pieces.[n] The king put them in his palace in the Lebanon forest. 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 19 Six steps led up to the throne, which had a round canopy fastened to the rear of the throne and armrests on each side of the seat and two lions standing on either side of each armrest. 20 Twelve lions were placed on both sides of the six steps leading to the throne,[o] and nothing comparable was made for any other[p] kingdoms. 21 All of King Solomon’s drinking vessels were made of[q] gold, and all the vessels in his palace in the Lebanon forest were made of[r] pure gold. None were of silver, because silver was never considered to be valuable during Solomon’s lifetime, 22 because the king had ships that sailed to Tarshish accompanied by Hiram’s ships. Once every three years ships from Tarshish returned, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 23 As a result, King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in regards to wealth and wisdom. 24 All the earth continued to seek audiences with Solomon so they could hear the wise things that God had put in his heart. 25 Everyone kept on bringing gifts on an annual basis, including items made of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules. 26 Solomon accumulated chariots and cavalry. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 cavalry soldiers. He stationed them in various chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common as[s] stones in Jerusalem, and made cedar trees as abundant as sycamore[t] trees in the Shephelah.[u] 28 Solomon imported horses from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s buyers procured them at market price from Kue. 29 A chariot from Egypt cost 600 pieces[v] of silver, and a horse 150 pieces of silver,[w] but then they were exported to all the Hittite kings and to the Aramean kings.
Greetings from Paul and Timothy
1 From:[a] Paul and Timothy, servants of the Messiah[b] Jesus.
To: All the holy ones[c] in Philippi, along with their overseers[d] and ministers,[e] who are in union with the Messiah[f] Jesus.
2 May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,[g] be yours!
Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Philippians
3 I thank my God every time I remember you,[h] 4 always praying joyfully in every one of my prayers for all of you 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am convinced of this, that the one who began a good action among[i] you will bring it to completion by the Day of the Messiah[j] Jesus. 7 For it is only right for me to think this way about all of you, because you’re constantly on my mind.[k] Both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, all of you are partners with me in this privilege.[l] 8 For God is my witness how much I long for all of you with the compassion that the Messiah[m] Jesus provides.
9 And this is my prayer, that your love will keep on growing more and more with full knowledge and insight, 10 so that you may be able to choose what is best and be pure and blameless until the day when the Messiah[n] returns, 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus the Messiah[o] so that God will be glorified and praised.
The Priority of the Gospel in Everything
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually caused the gospel to advance. 13 As a result, it has become clear to the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that I am in prison for preaching about[p] the Messiah.[q] 14 Moreover, because of my imprisonment the Lord has caused most of the brothers to become confident to speak God’s word more boldly and courageously than ever before. 15 Some are preaching the Messiah[r] because of jealousy and dissension, while others do so[s] because of their good will. 16 The latter are motivated[t] by love, because they know that I have been appointed to defend the gospel. 17 The former proclaim the Messiah[u] because they are selfishly ambitious and insincere, thinking that they will stir up trouble for me during my imprisonment.
18 But so what? Just this—that in every way, whether by false or true motives, the Messiah[v] is being proclaimed. Because of this, I rejoice and will continue to rejoice. 19 I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the help that comes from the Spirit of Jesus the Messiah.[w] 20 I rejoice because I eagerly expect and hope that I will have nothing to be ashamed of, because through my[x] boldness the Messiah[y] will be exalted through me,[z] now as always, whether I live or die.[aa]
21 For to me, to go on living is the Messiah,[ab] and to die is gain. 22 Now if I continue living, fruitful labor is the result, so I do not know which I would prefer. 23 Indeed, I cannot decide between the two. I have the desire to leave this life and be with the Messiah,[ac] for that is far better. 24 But for your sake it is better that I remain alive.[ad]
25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will continue to live and be with all of you, so you will mature in the faith and know joy in it. 26 Then your rejoicing in the Messiah[ae] Jesus will increase along with mine[af] when I visit with you again.
Standing Firm in One Spirit
27 The only thing that matters is that you continue to live as good citizens in a manner worthy of the gospel of the Messiah.[ag] Then, whether I come to see you or whether I stay away, I may hear all about you—that you are standing firm in one spirit, struggling with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and that you are not intimidated by your opponents in any way. This is evidence that they will be destroyed and that you will be saved—and all because of[ah] God. 29 For you have been given the privilege[ai] for the Messiah’s[aj] sake not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him. 30 You have the same struggle that you saw in me and now hear that I am still having.[ak]
The Vision of Jerusalem
40 At the beginning of year 25 of our captivity, on the tenth day of the fourteenth year after the destruction of Jerusalem[a]—on that very day—the Lord grabbed me in his hand and took me there. 2 God brought me in a series of visions to the land of Israel and placed me on top of a very high mountain, where to the south there was something that looked like the outline of a city. 3 That’s where he took me. All of a sudden, there was a man whose appearance resembled glowing[b] bronze! He had a measuring reed and line in his hand as he stood in the city gate. 4 This is what the man told me: “Son of Man, watch carefully,[c] listen closely,[d] and remember[e] everything I’m going to be showing you, because you’ve been brought here to be shown what you’re about to see. Be sure that you tell the house of Israel everything that you observe.”
Measuring the Temple Grounds
5 All of a sudden, we were at the exterior wall that completely surrounded the Temple. The man whom I had observed held a measuring reed that was six cubits[f] long as measured in cubits that were a cubit and a handbreadth[g] long. As he measured the thickness of the wall, he measured out one reed.[h] Its height was also one reed.[i] 6 Then he went over to the gate that faced toward the east, ascended its steps, and measured its thresholds. One threshold measured one reed[j] and the other one measured one reed.[k] 7 Each guardhouse[l] measured one reed[m] long and one reed[n] wide, and the distance[o] between each guardhouse was five cubits.[p] The threshold of the gate near the vestibule facing away from the Temple entrance[q] measured one reed.[r]
8 Next, he measured the vestibule of the gate facing away from the Temple entrance at one reed.[s] 9 He measured the vestibule of the gate inside at eight cubits[t] and the doorjambs at two cubits.[u] (The vestibule at the gate faced away from the Temple.) 10 Gate guardhouses stood facing east, numbering three on each side,[v] each of them of equal size[w] to the door jamb; that is, having the same[x] measurement on each side.[y] 11 He measured the width of the gateway at ten cubits,[z] and the length of the gate at thirteen cubits.[aa]
12 The retaining[ab] wall in front of the guardhouses measured one cubit[ac] wide. It stood one cubit[ad] from the wall to the guardhouses, which were six cubits[ae] square.[af] 13 He measured the gate from the roof of the guardhouses to the roof of another[ag] at 25 cubits[ah] from doorway to opposite doorway. 14 Then he measured[ai] the open air porch[aj] at 60 cubits[ak] from the doorjamb of the courtyard that encompassed the gate. 15 The distance from the front entrance gate to the vestibule of the inner gate measured 50 cubits.[al] 16 Latticed windows faced the guardhouses, their side pillars within the gate all around, and also for the porches. Windows were placed all around inside, and the side pillars were engraved with palm trees.
The Outer Court
17 Next, he brought me into the outer court, where chambers and a paved area had been constructed all around the courtyard, with 30 chambers facing the pavement. 18 The pavement to the side[am] of the gates corresponded to the length of the gates. 19 He also measured the width from the front lower gate to the front of the exterior inner court at 100 cubits[an] to the east and to the north.
The North Facing Outer Court
20 Next, he measured the length and width of the outer north-facing gate to the courtyard. 21 It was equipped[ao] with three guardhouses on each side. Its side pillars and porches had measurements identical to the first gate: 50 cubits[ap] long and 25 cubits[aq] wide. 22 Its windows, porches, and palm tree ornaments had measurements identical to the east-facing gate. Reached by seven ascending[ar] steps, its porch lay[as] to the front of the steps. 23 From a gate that stood opposite the northern gate he measured 100 cubits,[at] as well as from the eastern gate.
The South Facing Gate
24 Then he led me toward the south, where there was a gate with side pillar and porch measurements identical to the others. 25 The gate and its porches contained windows all around, identical to the other windows. The length of the porch[au] was 50 cubits[av] and its width was 25 cubits.[aw] 26 Seven steps led up to it, with a porch in front of them. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars, one on each side. 27 The inner court contained a south-facing gate measuring 100 cubits[ax] from gate to gate toward the south.
The Inner Southern Court
28 Next, he brought me to the inner courtyard by way of the south-facing gate. He measured the south-facing gate as having measurements identical to the others. 29 The measurements of its guardhouses, its side pillars, and its porches were identical to the others. The gate and its porches contained windows all around. The length of the porch[ay] was 50 cubits[az] and its width was 25 cubits.[ba] 30 Porches lay all around, measuring 25 cubits[bb] long and five cubits[bc] wide, 31 leading to the outer courtyard. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars. The stairway leading to it contained eight steps.
The Inner Eastern Court
32 Then he brought me into the inner east-facing courtyard, where he measured the gate, identical to the others. 33 The measurement of its guardhouses, side pillars, and porches was identical to the others. The gate and its porches contained windows all around. The length of the porch[bd] was 50 cubits[be] and its width was 25 cubits,[bf] 34 leading to the outer courtyard. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars. The stairway leading to it contained eight steps.
The North Facing Gate
35 Next, he brought me to the north-facing gate, where he measured the gate, identical to the others. 36 The measurement of its guardhouses, side pillars, and porches was identical to the others. The gate and its porches contained windows all around. The length of the porch[bg] was 50 cubits[bh] and its width was 25 cubits,[bi] 37 leading to the outer courtyard. Palm tree ornaments were engraved on its side pillars. The stairway leading to it contained eight steps. 38 There was a chamber with a doorway by the side pillars next to the gate where they prepare[bj] the burnt offerings.
39 In the porch leading in front of the gate there were two tables on either side for slaughtering burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, 40 and on the outer side, approaching the northern gateway, there were two tables, as well as two tables on the opposite side of the porch in front of the gate. 41 In that way, there were four tables on each side in front of the gate, for a total of eight tables for use in slaughtering the offerings.[bk]
42 There were four tables carved from stone for the burnt offering, each one and a half cubits[bl] long, one and a half cubits[bm] wide, and one cubit[bn] high, on which the instruments are laid for slaughtering burnt offerings and sacrifices. 43 Double hooks, a single handbreadth[bo] in length, were installed all around in this portion of[bp] the temple area.
The Inner Gate
44 From outside leading into the inner gate there were chambers for the choir. One was beside the north gate facing the south, and another was at the south gate facing the north. 45 The angel[bq] told me, “This south-facing chamber is for the priests who maintain the Temple, 46 and the north-facing chamber is for the priests who maintain the altar. These are Zadok’s descendants, who, as descendants of Levi approach the Lord to minister directly to him.” 47 He measured the court in the form of a square at 100 cubits[br] long and 100 cubits[bs] wide. The altar stood in front of the Temple.
The Temple Porch
48 Next, he brought me to the Temple porch and measured the side pillars at five cubits[bt] on each side. The width of the gate measured three cubits[bu] on each side. 49 The porch was 20 cubits[bv] long and eleven cubits[bw] wide. The stairway by which it was ascended was equipped with columns attached to its side pillars, one on each side.
A Davidic Psalm[a]
God is My Refuge
91 The one who lives in the shelter of the Most High,
who rests in the shadow of the Almighty,
2 will say to the Lord,
“You are my refuge, my fortress,
and my God in whom I trust!”
3 He will surely deliver you from the hunter’s snare
and from the destructive plague.
4 With his feathers he will cover you,
under his wings you will find safety.
His truth is your shield and armor.
5 You need not fear terror that stalks[b] in the night,
the arrow that flies in the day,
6 plague that strikes in the darkness,
or calamity that destroys at noon.
7 If a thousand fall at your side
or ten thousand at your right hand,
it will not overcome you.
8 Only observe[c] it with your eyes,
and you will see how the wicked are paid back.
9 “Lord, you are my refuge!”
Because you chose the Most High as your dwelling place,
10 no evil will fall upon you,
and no affliction will approach your tent,
11 for he will command his angels
to protect you in all your ways.
12 With their hands they will lift you up
so you will not trip over a stone.
13 You will stomp on lions and snakes;
you will trample young lions and serpents.
The Lord Speaks
14 Because he has focused his love on me,
I will deliver him.
I will protect him[d]
because he knows my name.
15 When he calls out to me,
I will answer him.
I will be with him in his[e] distress.
I will deliver him,
and I will honor him.
16 I will satisfy him with long life;
I will show him my deliverance.
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