M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Time of Rest for the Land
25 The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai, 2 “Tell the people of Israel this: ‘When you enter the land I will give you, let it have a ·special time of rest, to honor [L sabbath to/for] the Lord. 3 You may plant seed in your field for six years, and you may trim your vineyards for six years and bring in their fruits. 4 But during the seventh year, you must let the land ·rest [have a sabbath]. This will be a ·special time to honor [L sabbath to/for] the Lord. You must not plant seed in your field or ·trim [prune] your vineyards. 5 You must not cut the crops that grow by themselves after harvest, or gather the grapes from your vines that are not ·trimmed [pruned]. The land will have a ·year of rest [sabbath].
6 “‘You may eat whatever the land produces during that ·year of rest [sabbath]. It will be food for your men and women servants, for your hired workers, and for the ·foreigners living in your country [sojourners; wanderers; resident aliens]. 7 It will also be food for your cattle and the wild animals of your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.
The Year of Jubilee
8 “‘Count off seven groups of seven years, [L seven times seven years] or forty-nine years. During that time there will be seven ·years of rest [sabbatical years; 25:1–7] for the land. 9 On the Day of ·Cleansing [Atonement; 16:1–34], you must blow the horn of a ·male sheep [ram]; this will be on the tenth day of the seventh month. You must blow the horn through the whole country. 10 Make the fiftieth year a ·special [consecrated; holy] year, and announce ·freedom [liberty] for all the people living in your country. This time will be called Jubilee [C a word related to the Hebrew for “ram’s horn”]. You will each go back to your own property, each to your own family and family group. 11 The fiftieth year will be a special time for you to celebrate. Don’t plant seeds, or harvest the crops that grow by themselves, or gather grapes from the vines that are not ·trimmed [pruned]. 12 That year is Jubilee; it will be a holy time for you. You may eat only the crops that come from the field. 13 In the year of Jubilee you each must go back to your own property.
14 “‘If you sell your land to your ·neighbor [countryman], or if you buy land from your ·neighbor [countryman], don’t ·cheat [mistreat; exploit] each other. 15 If you want to buy your ·neighbor’s [countryman’s] land, count the number of years since the last Jubilee, and use that number to decide the right price. If your ·neighbor [countryman] sells the land to you, count the number of years left for harvesting crops, and use that number to decide the right price. 16 If there are many years, the price will be high. But if there are only a few years, lower the price, because your neighbor is really selling only a few crops to you. 17 You must not ·cheat [mistreat; exploit] ·each other [L your neighbor/countryman], but you must ·respect [fear] your God. I am the Lord your God.
18 “‘·Remember [L Observe] my ·laws [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and ·rules [regulations], and ·obey [keep; guard] them so that you will live ·safely [securely] in the land. 19 The land will give ·good crops [its fruit] to you, and you will eat as much as you want and live ·safely [securely] in the land.
20 “‘But you might ask, “If we don’t plant seeds or gather crops, what will we eat the seventh year?” 21 I will ·send [L command for] you such a great blessing during the sixth year that the land will produce enough crops for three years. 22 When you plant in the eighth year, you will still be eating from the old crop; you will eat the old crop until the harvest of the ninth year.
Property Laws
23 “‘The land really belongs to me, so you can’t sell it ·for all time [in perpetuity]. You are only ·foreigners [sojourners; wanderers; resident aliens] and ·travelers living for a while on my land [L tenants with me]. 24 ·People might sell their land, but it must always be possible for the family to get its land back [L Throughout all the land of your possession, you must allow for redemption of the land]. 25 If ·a person in your country [your brother/kinsman] becomes very poor and sells some land, then close relatives ·must [or can] come and ·buy it back [redeem what his brother/kinsman has sold]. 26 If there is not a ·close relative to buy the land back [redeemer], but if the person ·makes enough money to be able to buy it back [prospers and he is able to redeem it], 27 the years must be ·counted [calculated] since the land was sold. That number must be used to decide how much the first owner should pay back the one who bought it. Then the land will belong to the first owner again. 28 But if there is not enough money to buy it back, the one who bought it will keep it until the year of Jubilee. During that celebration, the land will go back to the first owner’s family.
29 “‘If someone sells a home in a walled city, for a full year after it is sold, the person has the right to ·buy it back [redeem it]. 30 But if the owner does not ·buy back the house [redeem it] before a full year is over, it will belong to the one who bought it ·and to his future sons [L in perpetuity, throughout his generations]. The house will not go back to the first owner at Jubilee. 31 But houses in ·small towns [villages] without walls are like open ·country [fields]; they can be ·bought back [redeemed], and they must be returned to their first owner at Jubilee.
32 “‘The Levites may always ·buy back [redeem] their houses in the cities that belong to them. 33 If someone buys a house from a Levite, that house in the Levites’ city will again belong to the Levites in the Jubilee. This is because houses in Levite cities belong to the people of Levi; ·the Israelites gave these cities to them [L for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession in the midst of the sons/T children of Israel; Num. 35:1–8; Josh. 21:1–45]. 34 Also the ·fields and pastures [L open land] around the Levites’ cities cannot be sold, because ·those fields belong to the Levites [L that is their possession] forever.
Rules for Slave Owners
35 “‘If ·anyone from your country [your brother/kinsman] becomes too poor ·to support himself [or and dependent on you], ·help [support] him to live among you as you would a ·stranger [sojourner/wanderer/resident alien] or ·foreigner [or tenant]. 36 Do not charge him any interest on money ·you loan to him [L or try to make a profit; Ex. 22:25; Deut. 23:19–20], but ·respect [fear] your God; let ·the poor [L your brother/kinsman] live among you. 37 Don’t lend him money for interest, and don’t try to make a profit from the food he buys. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give the land of Canaan to you and to become your God.
39 “‘If ·anyone from your country [your brother/kinsman] becomes very poor and sells himself as a slave to you, you must not make him work like a slave [Ex. 21:2–6; Deut. 15:12–18]. 40 He will be like a hired worker and a ·visitor [or tenant] with you until the year of Jubilee. 41 Then he may leave you, take his children, and go back to his family and the land of his ancestors. 42 This is because the Israelites are my servants, and I brought them out of slavery in Egypt. They must not become slaves again. 43 You must not ·rule this person [exercise dominion; Gen. 1:26] cruelly, but you must ·respect [fear] your God.
44 “‘Your men and women slaves must come from other nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 Also you may buy as slaves children from the families of ·strangers [sojourners/wanderers/resident aliens] or ·foreigners [or tenants] living in your land. ·These child slaves will belong to you [L Those born in your land will be your property], 46 and you may even ·pass them on to your children after you die [will them to your children]; you can make them slaves forever. But you must not ·rule [exercise dominion] cruelly over your own ·people [brothers; kinsmen], the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel].
47 “‘Suppose a ·stranger [sojourner/wanderer/resident alien] or ·foreigner [or tenant] among you becomes rich. If ·someone in your country [a brother/kinsman] becomes so poor that he has to sell himself as a slave to the ·foreigner [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien] living among you or to a member of the ·foreigner’s [sojourner’s; wanderer’s; resident alien’s] family, 48 ·the poor person has the right to be bought back and become free [L after he is sold he has the right of redemption]. One of his relatives may ·buy him back [redeem him]: 49 His uncle, his uncle’s son, or any one of his close relatives may ·buy him back [redeem him]. Or, if he gets enough money, he may pay the money to ·free [redeem] himself.
50 “‘He and the one who bought him must ·count [calculate] the time from when he sold himself up to the next year of Jubilee. Use that number to decide the price, because the person really only hired himself out for a certain number of years. 51 If there are still many years before the year of Jubilee, the person must ·pay back [redeem] a large part of the price. 52 If there are only a few years left until Jubilee, the person must pay a small part of the first price. 53 But he will live like a hired person with ·the foreigner [L him] every year; don’t let the ·foreigner [L him] ·rule [exercise dominion] cruelly over him.
54 “‘Even if no one ·buys him back [redeems him], at the year of Jubilee, he and his children will ·become free [L go out]. 55 This is because the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel are servants to me. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
It Is Better to Confess Sin
A ·maskil [skillful psalm; meditation] of David.
32 ·Happy [Blessed] is the person
whose ·sins [transgressions] are forgiven,
whose ·wrongs [sins] are ·pardoned [L covered].
2 ·Happy [Blessed] is the person
whom the Lord ·does not consider guilty [imputes no guilt to]
and in ·whom [L whose spirit] there is nothing ·false [deceptive].
3 When I kept ·things to myself [silent],
·I felt weak deep inside me [L my bones wasted away].
I ·moaned [sighed] all day long.
4 Day and night ·you punished me [L your hand was heavy on me].
My strength was ·gone [dried up; sapped] as in the summer heat. ·
5 Then I ·confessed [made known; disclosed] my sins to you
and didn’t ·hide [cover up] my guilt.
I said, “I will confess my ·sins [transgressions] to the Lord,”
and you forgave ·my guilt [L the guilt of my sin]. ·
6 For this reason, all ·who obey you [your saints/holy ones]
should pray to you while ·they still can [or you may be found; L at a time of finding only; Prov. 1:24–27].
When troubles rise like a flood,
they will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place.
You protect me from ·my troubles [distress]
and ·fill [L surround] me with ·songs [loud cries] of ·salvation [rescue; T deliverance]. ·
8 The Lord says, “I will ·make you wise [instruct you] and ·show [teach] you ·where to [L the way you should] go.
I will ·guide [counsel] you and ·watch over [L my eye will be on] you.
9 So don’t be like a horse or donkey,
that doesn’t understand.
·They must be led [L …whose temper/or gallop must be restrained] with bits and reins,
or they will not come near you.”
10 Wicked people have many ·troubles [pains; torments; woes],
but the Lord’s ·love [loyalty; covenant love] surrounds those who ·trust [have confidence in] him.
11 ·Good [Righteous] people, rejoice and be happy in the Lord.
·Sing [Shout joyfully] all you whose hearts are ·right [upright; virtuous].
Obey the King
8 ·No one [L Who…?] is like the wise person
who ·can understand what things mean [L knows the interpretation of a matter?].
Wisdom ·brings happiness [L brightens one’s face];
it ·makes sad faces happy [L changes his stern/hard expression].
2 ·Obey [Keep; or I obey/keep] the king’s command, because ·you made a promise [of your oath] to God. 3 ·Don’t be too quick to leave the king [or You should leave his presence]. Don’t ·support something that is wrong [persist in an evil matter], because the king does whatever he ·pleases [wants]. 4 What the king says is ·law [supreme]; no one ·tells him what to do [L says to him, “What are you doing?].
5 Whoever obeys the king’s command ·will be safe [experiences no harm/evil].
A wise ·person does [L heart knows] the right thing at the right time.
6 There is a right time and a right way for everything [3:1–8; Prov. 15:23],
yet people often have many troubles.
7 They do not know what the future holds,
and no one can tell them ·what [or when it] will happen.
8 No one ·can control the wind [L has power over the wind to restrain the wind]
or ·stop his own [L power over the day of] death.
No soldier is ·released [discharged] ·in times of war [during the battle],
and evil does not ·set free [rescue] ·those who do evil [L its owner].
Justice, Rewards, and Punishment
9 I saw all of this as I ·considered [L gave my heart to] all that is done here ·on earth [L under the sun; 1:3]. Sometimes people harm those they control. 10 I saw ·the funerals of evil people [L the wicked buried and departed] who used to go in and out of the holy place [C the Temple]. They were ·honored [praised] in the same towns where they had done evil. This is useless [1:2], too [C it is not fair that the wicked thrive in life and are praised after they die].
11 When ·evil people are not punished [L the sentence for an evil deed is not carried out] right away, ·it makes others want to do evil, too [L the human heart is filled with evildoing]. 12 Though a sinner might do a hundred evil things and ·might live a long time [L their days are lengthened], I know it will be better for those who ·honor God [L fear God because they fear him]. 13 I also know it will not go well for evil people, because they do not ·honor [fear] God. Like a shadow, ·they will not last [L their days will not be lengthened]. 14 Sometimes something useless [1:2] happens on earth. ·Bad things happen to good people [L There are righteous people who are treated as if they did wicked deeds], and ·good things happen to bad people [L wicked people who are treated as if they did righteous deeds]. I say that this is also useless [1:2]. 15 So I ·decided it was more important to enjoy life [commended/praised pleasure]. ·The best that people can do [L There is nothing better] ·here on earth [L under the sun; 1:3] ·is [or than] to eat, drink, and ·enjoy life [have pleasure], because these joys will help them do the ·hard work [toil] God gives them ·here on earth [L under the sun; 2:24–26; 3:12–14, 22; 5:18–20; 9:7–10; C the little pleasures are distractions from the meaningless world].
We Cannot Understand All God Does
16 I ·tried to understand [L gave my heart to know] all that happens on earth. ·I saw how busy people are, working day and night and hardly ever sleeping [L No one sleeps day or night]. 17 I also saw all that God has done. Nobody can ·understand [comprehend; L find] what God does ·here on earth [L under the sun; 1:3]. No matter how hard people try to ·understand [L find] it, they cannot. Even if wise people say they understand, they cannot; no one can really ·understand [L find] it.
4 I ·give you a command [solemnly charge you] in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, the One who will judge the living and the dead, and by his ·coming [appearing] and his kingdom: 2 Preach the ·Good News [Gospel]. Be ready ·at all times [whether it is convenient or inconvenient; in season or out of season], and ·tell people what they need to do [correct; reprove]. ·Tell them when they are wrong [Rebuke]. ·Encourage [Comfort; Exhort] them with ·great patience and careful teaching [L all patience and teaching], 3 because the time will come when people will not ·listen to [put up with; endure] the ·true [sound; healthy] teaching but will ·find many more [gather around themselves; accumulate] teachers who ·please them [meet their needs/desires] by saying the things ·they want to hear [their ears itch for]. 4 They will ·stop listening to [L turn their ears/hearing away from] the truth and will ·begin to follow [wander/turn aside to] ·false stories [myths]. 5 But you should ·control yourself [be sober-minded] at all times, ·accept troubles [endure hardships], do the work of ·telling the Good News [L an evangelist], and ·complete all the duties of a servant of God [L fulfill your service/ministry].
6 [L For] My life is being ·given as an offering to God [L poured out as a drink offering; Num. 28:24; Phil. 2:17], and the time has come for ·me to leave this life [L my departure]. 7 I have ·fought the good fight [or competed well], I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now, a ·crown [victor’s wreath] is ·being held [reserved] for me—a ·crown [victor’s wreath] ·for being right with God [L of righteousness]. The Lord, the ·judge who judges rightly [L righteous/just judge], will give the ·crown [victor’s wreath] to me on that day [C the final day of judgment and reward]—not only to me but to all those who have ·waited with love for him to come again [L loved his appearing].
Personal Words
9 ·Do your best [Make every effort; Be diligent] to come to me as soon as you can, 10 because Demas [Col. 4:14; Philem. 24], who loved this ·world [L present age], ·left [deserted] me and went to Thessalonica [C a city in Macedonia, present-day northern Greece; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 2:1]. Crescens went to Galatia [C a Roman province in present-day central Turkey; Gal. 1:2], and Titus [2 Cor. 2:13; Gal. 2:1–3; Titus 1:1] went to Dalmatia [C a Roman province, mostly in present-day Croatia]. 11 Luke [Col. 4:14; Philem. 24] is the only one still with me. Get Mark [Acts 12:25; 13:13; 15:37–39; Col. 4:10] and bring him with you when you come, because he can help me in my work here. 12 I sent Tychicus [Acts 20:4; Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7; Titus 3:12] to Ephesus [1:18; 1 Tim. 1:3]. 13 When I was in Troas [C a city in northwest Asia Minor; Acts 16:8, 11; 20:5–6], I left my ·coat [cloak] there with Carpus. So when you come, bring it to me, along with my ·books [or scrolls], particularly the ones written on parchment [C writing material made from animal skins].
14 Alexander the ·metalworker [or coppersmith; 1 Tim. 1:20] did many ·harmful [evil] things against me. The Lord will ·punish [repay] him for what he did [Ps. 28:4]. 15 You also should be ·careful that he does not hurt you [L on your guard], because he ·fought strongly against [strongly opposed] our ·teaching [message; words].
16 ·The first time I defended myself [or At my first defense/court hearing], no one ·helped me [appeared on my behalf]; everyone ·left [deserted] me. May ·they be forgiven [L it not be counted/reckoned against them]. 17 But the Lord ·stayed [stood] with me and gave me strength so I could fully tell the ·Good News [Gospel; L proclamation] for all the ·Gentiles [nations] to hear. So I was ·saved [rescued; delivered] from the lion’s mouth [C a reference to literal or, more likely, figurative death; the lion may represent the Roman emperor Nero]. 18 The Lord will ·save [rescue; deliver] me ·when anyone tries to hurt me [L from every evil deed], and he will ·bring me safely [L save me] to his heavenly kingdom. Glory forever and ever be ·the Lord’s [L to him]. Amen.
Final Greetings
19 Greet ·Priscilla [L Prisca] and Aquila [Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Rom. 16:3–4; 1 Cor. 16:19] and the family of Onesiphorus [1:17]. 20 Erastus [Acts 19:22; Rom. 16:23] stayed in Corinth [C a major city in Achaia, present-day southern Greece; Acts 18; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1], and I left Trophimus [Acts 20:4; 21:29] sick in Miletus [C a coastal city near Ephesus; Acts 20:15, 17]. 21 ·Try as hard as you can [Make every effort; Do your best] to come to me before winter.
Eubulus sends greetings to you. Also Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters in Christ greet you.
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
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