M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Rules for Cleansing from Skin Diseases
14 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “These are the ·teachings [instructions; laws] for the time at which people who had a harmful skin disease [13:2] are made clean [C in a ritual sense].
“The person shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest must go outside the camp and ·look at [examine] the one who had the skin disease. If the skin disease is healed, 4 the priest will command that two living, clean birds, a piece of cedar wood, a piece of red string, and a hyssop plant [Ex. 12:22] be brought for cleansing the person with the skin disease.
5 “The priest must order one bird to be ·killed [slaughtered] in a clay bowl containing fresh water. 6 Then he will take the living bird, the piece of cedar wood, the red string, and the hyssop; all these he will dip into the blood of the bird that was ·killed [slaughtered] over the fresh water. 7 The priest will sprinkle the blood seven times on the person being cleansed from the skin disease [13:2]. He must announce that the person is clean [C in a ritual sense] and then go to an open field and let the living bird go free.
8 “The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe in water [C perhaps representing complete decontamination]. Then he will be clean and may go into the camp, though he must stay outside his tent for the first seven days. 9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—the hair from his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and he will be clean [C in a ritual sense].
10 “On the eighth day the person who had the skin disease must take two male lambs that ·have nothing wrong with them [are unblemished] and a year-old female lamb that ·has nothing wrong with it [is unblemished]. He must also take six quarts of fine flour mixed with oil for a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [2:1] and ·two-thirds of a pint [L three-tenths of an ephah] of olive oil. 11 The priest who is to announce that the person is clean [C in a ritual sense] must bring him and his sacrifices before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 12 The priest will take one of the male lambs and offer it with the olive oil as a ·penalty [guilt; reparation; 5:14–6:7] offering; he will present them before the Lord as an offering. 13 Then he will ·kill [slaughter] the male lamb in the holy place, where the ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering and the whole burnt offering are killed. The ·penalty [guilt; reparation] offering is like the ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering—it belongs to the priest and it is most holy.
14 “The priest will take some of the blood of the ·penalty [guilt; reparation; 5:14–6:7] offering and put it on the ·bottom [lobe] of the right ear of the person to be made clean. He will also put some of it on the thumb of the person’s right hand and on the big toe of the person’s right foot. 15 Then the priest will take some of the [L log of; C a liquid measure] oil and pour it into his own left hand. 16 He will dip a finger of his right hand into the oil that is in his left hand, and with his finger he will sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the Lord. 17 The priest will put some oil from his hand on the ·bottom [lobe] of the right ear of the person to be made clean, some on the thumb of the person’s right hand, and some on the big toe of the person’s right foot. The oil will go on these places on top of the blood for the ·penalty [guilt; reparation] offering. 18 He will put the rest of the oil that is in his left hand on the head of the person to be made clean [C in a ritual sense]. In this way the priest will make that person clean ·so he can belong to [L and make atonement for that person before] the Lord again.
19 “Next the priest will offer the ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering to make that person clean ·so he can belong to the Lord again [L and make atonement]. After this the priest will ·kill [slaughter] the animal for the whole burnt offering [1:1–17], 20 and he will offer the burnt offering and ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [2:1] on the altar. In this way he will make that person clean [C in a ritual sense] ·so he can belong to the Lord again [L and make atonement for him].
21 “But if the person is poor and unable to afford these offerings, he must take one male lamb for a ·penalty [guilt; reparation; 5:14–6:7] offering. It will be presented to the Lord to make him clean [C in a ritual sense] ·so he can belong to the Lord again [L and make atonement for him]. The person must also take ·two quarts [L one tenth of an ephah] of ·fine [choice] flour mixed with oil for a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [2:1]. He must also take ·two-thirds of a pint [L a log; C a liquid measure] of olive oil 22 and two doves or two young pigeons, which he can afford. One bird is for a ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering and the other for a whole burnt offering [1:1–17]. 23 On the eighth day the person will bring them for his cleansing to the priest at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, before the Lord. 24 The priest will take the lamb for the ·penalty [guilt; reparation] offering and the oil, and he will present them as an offering before the Lord. 25 Then he will ·kill [slaughter] the lamb of the ·penalty [guilt; reparation] offering, take some of its blood, and put it on the ·bottom [lobe] of the right ear of the person to be made clean [C in a ritual sense]. The priest will put some of this blood on the thumb of the person’s right hand and some on the big toe of the person’s right foot. 26 He will also pour some of the oil into his own left hand. 27 Then with a finger of his right hand, he will sprinkle some of the oil from his left hand seven times before the Lord. 28 The priest will take some of the oil from his hand and put it on the ·bottom [lobe] of the right ear of the person to be made clean. He will also put some of it on the thumb of the person’s right hand and some on the big toe of the person’s right foot. The oil will go on these places on top of the blood from the ·penalty [guilt; reparation] offering. 29 The priest must put the rest of the oil that is in his hand on the head of the person to be made clean, to make him clean ·so he can belong to [L to make atonement for him before] the Lord again. 30 Then the priest will offer one of the doves or young pigeons, which the person can afford. 31 He must offer one of the birds for a ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering and the other for a whole burnt offering [1:1–17], along with the grain [L gift; tribute; 2:1] offering. In this way the priest will make the person clean so he can ·belong to [make atonement before] the Lord again; he will become clean.
32 “These are the ·teachings [regulations; laws] for making a person clean [C in a ritual sense] after he has had a skin disease [13:2], if he cannot afford the regular sacrifices for becoming clean.”
Rules for Cleaning Mildew
33 The Lord also said to Moses and Aaron, 34 “I am giving the land of Canaan to your people. When they enter that land [L of your possession], if I cause ·mildew [or mold; 13:47] to grow in someone’s house in that land [L of your possession], 35 the owner of that house must come and tell the priest. He should say, ‘I have seen something like ·mildew [or mold; L a disease] in my house.’ 36 Then the priest must order the people to empty the house before he goes in to ·look at [examine] the ·mildew [or mold; L disease]. This is so he will not have to say that everything in the house is unclean [C in a ritual sense]. After this, the priest will go in to ·look at [examine] it. 37 He will ·look at [examine] the ·mildew [or mold; L disease], and if the ·mildew [or mold; L disease] on the walls of the house is green or red and goes into the wall’s surface, 38 he must go out and close up the house for seven days. 39 On the seventh day the priest must come back and check the house. If the ·mildew [or mold; L disease] has spread on the walls of the house, 40 the priest must order the people to tear out the stones with the ·mildew [or mold; L disease] on them. They should throw them away, at a certain unclean place outside the city. 41 Then the priest must have all the inside of the house scraped. The people must throw away the plaster they scraped off the walls, at a certain unclean place outside the city. 42 Then the owner must put new stones in the walls, and he must cover the walls with new clay plaster.
43 “Suppose a person has taken away the old stones and plaster and put in new stones and plaster. If ·mildew [or mold; L disease] again appears in his house, 44 the priest must come back and check the house again. If the ·mildew [or mold; L disease] has spread in the house, it is a ·mildew [or mold; 13:47] that destroys things; the house is unclean [C in a ritual sense]. 45 Then the owner must tear down the house, remove all its stones, plaster, and wood, and take them to the unclean place outside the city. 46 Anyone who goes into that house while it is closed up will be unclean until evening. 47 Anyone who eats in that house or lies down there must wash his clothes.
48 “Suppose after new stones and plaster have been put in a house, the priest checks it again and the ·mildew [or mold; L disease] has not spread. Then the priest will announce that the house is clean [C in a ritual sense], because the ·mildew [or mold; L disease] is gone.
49 “Then, to make the house clean [C in a ritual sense], the priest must take two birds, a piece of cedar wood, a piece of red string, and a hyssop plant. 50 He will ·kill [slaughter] one bird in a clay bowl containing fresh water. 51 Then he will take the bird that is still alive, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the red string, and he will dip them into the blood of the bird that was ·killed [slaughtered] over the fresh water. The priest will sprinkle the blood on the house seven times. 52 He will use the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the red string to make the house clean. 53 He will then go to an open field outside the city and let the living bird go free. This is how the priest makes the house clean and ·ready for service to the Lord [makes atonement for the house].”
54 These are the ·teachings [regulations; laws] about any kind of skin disease [13:2], 55 ·mildew [or mold] on pieces of cloth or in a house, 56 swellings, rashes, or bright spots on the skin; 57 they help people decide when things are unclean [C in a ritual sense] and when they are clean. These are the ·teachings [regulations; laws] about all these kinds of diseases.
A Prayer for Protection
A prayer of David.
17 Lord, hear ·me begging for fairness [a just cause];
·listen [pay attention] to my cry for help.
·Pay attention [Bend your ear] to my prayer,
because ·I speak the truth [L my lips are not deceitful].
2 ·You will judge that I am right [L My judgment/vindication will come from before you];
your eyes can see what is ·true [virtuous].
3 You have examined my heart;
you have ·tested me all [or visited me at] night.
You ·questioned [tested] me without finding anything wrong;
·I have not sinned with my mouth [L my mouth has not transgressed].
4 ·I have obeyed your commands [L As for the deeds of people, by the word of your lips],
·so I have not done what evil people do [I have kept away from the ways of the violent].
5 ·I have done what you told me [L My steps have held fast to your paths];
·I have not failed [L My feet have not slipped].
6 I call to you,
·and [L for] you answer me, O God.
·Listen [L Extend your ear] to me now,
and hear what I say.
7 Your ·love [loyalty; covenant love] is wonderful.
·By your power [L At your right hand] you save those who ·trust [find their refuge in] you
from ·their enemies [those who rise up against them].
8 Protect me as ·you would protect your own [or the apple/L pupil of your] eye.
Hide me under the shadow of your wings.
9 Keep me from the wicked who ·attack [mistreat] me,
from my enemies who surround me.
10 They ·are selfish [close their callous hearts]
and ·brag about themselves [L their mouths speak proudly].
11 They have ·chased [tracked] me until they have surrounded me.
They ·plan [L set their eyes] to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like lions ready to ·kill [tear up prey];
like lions, they sit in ·hiding [ambush; cover].
13 Lord, rise up, ·face [confront] the enemy, and ·throw them down [subdue them].
·Save [Rescue; T Deliver] me from the wicked with your sword.
14 Lord, save me by your ·power [L hand] from mortals,
from mortals whose ·reward [portion] in the world is in this life.
·They have plenty of food [L Your stores have filled their bellies].
·They have many sons [or Their sons have plenty]
and leave ·much money [L their surplus] to their children.
15 ·Because I have lived right [In righteousness], I will see your face.
When I wake up, I will see your likeness and be satisfied.
28 Evil people ·run [flee] ·even though [or when] no one ·is chasing [pursues] them [Lev. 26:17, 36],
but ·good [righteous] people are as ·brave [confident] as a lion.
2 When a country ·is lawless [or rebels; or transgresses], it has ·one ruler after another [or many rulers/leaders];
but when it is led by a ·leader [L person] with understanding, it ·continues strong [or has lasting order].
3 ·Rulers [or Poor people] who ·mistreat [oppress] the poor
are like a hard rain that ·destroys the crops [washes away the food].
4 Those who ·disobey what they have been taught [forsake/abandon instruction/law] praise the wicked,
but those who ·obey what they have been taught [guard instruction/law] ·are against [battle] them.
5 Evil people do not understand justice,
but those who ·follow [seek] the Lord understand ·it completely [or everything].
6 It is better to be poor and ·innocent [walk blamelessly]
than to be rich and ·wicked [L be on crooked paths].
7 Children who ·obey what they have been taught [protect instruction/law] are wise,
but friends of ·troublemakers [or gluttons] disgrace their parents [Deut. 28:18–21].
8 Some people get rich by ·overcharging others [L interest and surcharge; Ex. 22:25; Deut. 23:20],
but their wealth will be given to those who are ·kind [gracious] to the poor.
9 If you ·refuse to obey [turn your ear away from] ·what you have been taught [L hearing instruction],
your prayers will ·not be heard [be detested/an abomination].
10 Those who lead ·good [virtuous] people to ·do wrong [L go on an evil path]
will ·be ruined by their own evil [L fall into their own pit],
but the ·innocent [blameless] will ·be rewarded with [L inherit] good things.
11 Rich people may ·think they are wise [L be wise in their own eyes],
but the poor with understanding will ·prove them wrong [see through them].
12 When ·good [righteous] people ·triumph [or rejoice], there is great happiness,
but when the wicked ·get control [L rise up], everybody hides.
13 If you hide your sins, you will not succeed.
If you confess and ·reject [abandon] them, you will receive ·mercy [compassion].
14 Those who ·are always respectful [or always fear the Lord; L always fear] will be ·happy [blessed],
but those ·who are stubborn [L whose hearts are hard] will get into trouble.
15 A wicked ruler over poor people is
like a ·roaring [growling] lion or a ·charging [prowling] bear [C dangerous or frightening].
16 A ·ruler [prince] without ·wisdom [understanding] will be cruel,
but the one who ·refuses to take [hates] ·dishonest money [unjust gain/profit] will ·rule [or live] a long time.
17 Don’t help those who are ·guilty of [oppressed/burdened by] murder;
let them ·run [flee] ·until they die [L to the pit/grave; Gen. 9:5–6].
18 ·Innocent people [L Those who walk in innocence/blamelessness] will be ·kept safe [saved],
but those who ·are dishonest [twist paths] will ·suddenly be ruined [L fall in one; C perhaps a pit or the grave].
19 Those who work their land will have plenty of food,
but the ones who ·chase empty dreams instead [L pursue emptiness] will end up poor.
20 A ·truthful [reliable] person will have many blessings,
but those ·eager to get rich [or with get-rich-quick schemes] will be punished.
21 It is not good ·for a judge to take sides [to show favoritism/partiality; L to recognize faces],
but some will ·sin [transgress; do wrong] for only a piece of bread.
22 ·Selfish [Stingy] people are in a hurry to get rich
and do not ·realize [know] they soon will be poor.
23 Those who correct others will later ·be liked [find favor]
more than those who ·give false praise [L have a flattering tongue].
24 Whoever robs father or mother
and says, “It’s not ·wrong [a crime],”
is ·just like someone who destroys things [or friends with thugs; Ex. 20:12].
25 A greedy person ·causes trouble [L stirs up conflict],
but the one who trusts the Lord will ·succeed [escape].
26 Those who trust in ·themselves [L their own hearts] are foolish,
but those who ·live wisely [L walk in wisdom] will be ·kept safe [or refreshed].
27 Whoever gives to the poor will ·have everything he needs [L lack nothing],
but the one who ·ignores [turns a blind eye to] the poor will receive many curses.
28 When the wicked ·get control [rise up], everybody hides,
but when they ·die [are destroyed], ·good [righteous] people ·do well [or multiply; increase].
Evil Things Will Happen
2 Brothers and sisters, ·we have something to say about [L concerning] the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and ·the time when we will meet [our assembly/being gathered] together with him. 2 ·Do not [We ask/request that you don’t] become ·easily [quickly] ·upset [unsettled; shaken] in your thinking or ·afraid [disturbed; alarmed] if you hear that the day of the Lord has already come [C the time of Christ’s return and the judgments associated with it]. Someone may have said this ·in a prophecy [L by a spirit; or by the Spirit] or ·in a message [or by word of mouth] or in a letter as if it came from us [C a forged letter]. 3 Do not let anyone ·fool [deceive] you in any way. That day of the Lord [v. 2] will not come until the ·turning away from God [great rebellion; apostasy; Matt. 24:11–12; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 2 Pet. 2:3; Jude 18] happens and the Man of ·Evil[a] [Wickedness; L Lawlessness; C probably the Antichrist; 1 John 2:18; Rev. 13], ·who is on his way to hell [L the son of destruction; John 17:12], appears. 4 He will ·be against [defy; oppose] and ·put himself above [exalt himself against] any so-called god or ·anything that [any object that; or any place where] people worship [Is. 14:13–14; Ezek. 28:2–9; Dan. 11:36] ·and [or so that] he will even go into the Temple of God and sit there and ·say that he is [present himself as] God.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I told you that all this would happen? 6 And ·now [so] you know what is ·stopping that Man of Evil [L restraining him; holding him back; 2:3] so he will ·appear [be revealed] at ·the right [the proper; L his own] time. 7 The ·secret power [or mystery] of ·evil [lawlessness; wickedness] is already ·working in the world [or at work], but there is one who is ·stopping that power [restraining it]. And ·he [or it] will continue to ·stop [restrain] it until ·he [or it] is taken out of the way [C this restrainer may be the Holy Spirit or human government, among other possibilities]. 8 Then that ·Man of Evil [L evil/lawless one; 2:3] will ·appear [be revealed], and the Lord Jesus[b] will ·kill [destroy] him with the breath that comes from his mouth [Is. 11:4] and will ·destroy [annihilate; put an end to] him with the ·glory [brightness; splendor; or appearance; manifestation] of his ·coming [arrival; presence]. 9 ·The Man of Evil [L …who; 2:3] will ·come [arrive] ·by the power [or at the instigation; L in accordance with the work/activity] of Satan ·and will have [or with; accompanied by] ·all kinds [or every kind] of ·false [counterfeit] ·miracles [powers], signs, and wonders. 10 He will use every ·kind of evil to trick [or wicked deception against/toward] those who are ·lost [perishing; heading toward destruction], because they refused to love the truth that would save them. 11 For this reason God sends them ·something powerful that leads them away from the truth [L a powerful/compelling/effective deception/error] so they will believe ·a lie [what is false]. 12 So all those will be ·judged guilty [condemned] who did not believe the truth, but ·enjoyed doing [delighted in; approved of] ·evil [wickedness; unrighteousness; injustice].
You Are Chosen for Salvation
13 Brothers and sisters, whom the Lord loves, God chose you from the beginning[c] to be saved. So we ·must [ought to] always thank God for you. You are saved by the ·Spirit that makes you holy [sanctifying work of the Spirit] and by your faith in the truth. 14 God used the ·Good News [Gospel] that we preached to call you to be saved so you can ·share in [obtain; possess] the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So, brothers and sisters, stand ·strong [firm] and ·continue to believe [hold fast to; grasp firmly] the ·teachings we gave you [L traditions you were taught] ·in our speaking and in our [L whether through our word or our] letter.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through his grace gave us eternal ·comfort [encouragement] and a good hope, 17 ·encourage [comfort] you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.
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