M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem
6 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel—thirty thousand of them. 2 Then he and all his people went to Baalah in Judah[a] to bring back the Ark of God. The Ark is called by the Name, the name of the Lord All-Powerful, whose throne is between the gold creatures with wings. 3 They put the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of Abinadab’s house on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, led the new cart 4 which had the Ark of God on it. Ahio was walking in front of it. 5 David and all the Israelites were celebrating in the presence of the Lord. They were playing wooden instruments: lyres, harps, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.
6 When David’s men came to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark of God. 7 The Lord was angry with Uzzah and killed him because of what he did. So Uzzah died there beside the Ark of God. 8 David was angry because the Lord had killed Uzzah. Now that place is called the Punishment of Uzzah.
9 David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the Ark of the Lord come to me now?” 10 So David would not move the Ark of the Lord to be with him in Jerusalem. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom, a man from Gath. 11 The Ark of the Lord stayed in Obed-Edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his family.
12 The people told David, “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because the Ark of God is there.” So David went and brought it up from Obed-Edom’s house to Jerusalem with joy. 13 When the men carrying the Ark of the Lord had walked six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fat calf. 14 Then David danced with all his might before the Lord. He had on a holy linen vest. 15 David and all the Israelites shouted with joy and blew the trumpets as they brought the Ark of the Lord to the city.
16 As the Ark of the Lord came into the city, Saul’s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw David jumping and dancing in the presence of the Lord, she hated him.
17 David put up a tent for the Ark of the Lord, and then the Israelites put it in its place inside the tent. David offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18 When David finished offering the whole burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. 19 David gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins to every Israelite, both men and women. Then all the people went home.
20 David went back to bless the people in his home, but Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. She said, “With what honor the king of Israel acted today! You took off your clothes in front of the servant girls of your officers like one who takes off his clothes without shame!”
21 Then David said to Michal, “I did it in the presence of the Lord. The Lord chose me, not your father or anyone from Saul’s family. The Lord appointed me to be over Israel. So I will celebrate in the presence of the Lord. 22 Maybe I will lose even more honor, and maybe I will be brought down in my own opinion, but the girls you talk about will honor me!”
23 And Saul’s daughter Michal had no children to the day she died.
The Gift for Other Believers
16 Now I will write about the collection of money for God’s people. Do the same thing I told the Galatian churches to do: 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should put aside money as you have been blessed. Save it up so you will not have to collect money after I come. 3 When I arrive, I will send whomever you approve to take your gift to Jerusalem. I will send them with letters of introduction, 4 and if it seems good for me to go also, they will go along with me.
Paul’s Plans
5 I plan to go through Macedonia, so I will come to you after I go through there. 6 Perhaps I will stay with you for a time or even all winter. Then you can help me on my trip, wherever I go. 7 I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to stay a longer time with you if the Lord allows it. 8 But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a good opportunity for a great and growing work has been given to me now. And there are many people working against me.
10 If Timothy comes to you, see to it that he has nothing to fear with you, because he is working for the Lord just as I am. 11 So none of you should treat Timothy as unimportant, but help him on his trip in peace so that he can come back to me. I am expecting him to come with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly encouraged him to visit you with the other brothers. He did not at all want to come now; he will come when he has the opportunity.
Paul Ends His Letter
13 Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
15 You know that the family of Stephanas were the first believers in Southern Greece and that they have given themselves to the service of God’s people. I ask you, brothers and sisters, 16 to follow the leading of people like these and anyone else who works and serves with them.
17 I am happy that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come. You are not here, but they have filled your place. 18 They have refreshed my spirit and yours. You should recognize the value of people like these.
19 The churches in Asia send greetings to you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you in the Lord, as does the church that meets in their house. 20 All the brothers and sisters here send greetings. Give each other a holy kiss when you meet.
21 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be separated from God—lost forever!
Come, O Lord!
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.[a]
Stop Worshiping Idols
14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then the Lord spoke his word to me, saying: 3 “Human, these people want to worship idols. They put up evil things that cause people to sin. Should I allow them to ask me for help? 4 So speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: When any of the people of Israel want to worship idols and put up evil things that cause people to sin and then come to the prophet, I, the Lord, will answer them myself for worshiping idols. 5 Then I will win back my people Israel, who have left me because of all their idols.’
6 “So say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Change your hearts and lives, and stop worshiping idols. Stop doing all the things I hate. 7 Any of the Israelites or foreigners in Israel can separate themselves from me by wanting to worship idols or by putting up the things that cause people to sin. Then if they come to the prophet to ask me questions, I, the Lord, will answer them myself. 8 I will reject them. I will make them a sign and an example, and I will separate them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
9 “‘But if the prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is because I, the Lord, have tricked that prophet to speak. Then I will use my power against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 The prophet will be as guilty as the one who asks him for help; both will be responsible for their guilt. 11 Then the nation of Israel will not leave me anymore or make themselves unclean anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, says the Lord God.’”
Jerusalem Will Not Be Spared
12 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: 13 “Human, if the people of a country sin against me by not being loyal, I will use my power against them. I will cut off their supply of food and send a time of hunger, destroying both people and animals. 14 Even if three great men like Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that country, their goodness could save only themselves, says the Lord God.
15 “Or I might send wild animals into that land, leaving the land empty and without children. Then no one would pass through it because of the animals. 16 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They could save only themselves, but that country would become empty.
17 “Or I might bring a war against that country. I might say, ‘Let a war be fought in that land,’ in this way destroying its people and its animals. 18 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, even if those three men were in the land, they could not save their sons or daughters. They could save only themselves.
19 “Or I might cause a disease to spread in that country. I might pour out my anger against it, destroying and killing people and animals. 20 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, they could not save their son or daughter. They could save only themselves because they did what was right.
21 “This is what the Lord God says: My plans for Jerusalem are much worse! I will send my four terrible punishments against it—war, hunger, wild animals, and disease—to destroy its people and animals. 22 But some people will escape; some sons and daughters will be led out. They will come out to you, and you will see what happens to people who live as they did. Then you will be comforted after the disasters I have brought against Jerusalem, after all the things I have brought against it. 23 You will be comforted when you see what happens to them for living as they did, because you will know there was a good reason for what I did to Jerusalem, says the Lord God.”
A Prayer About a False Friend
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.
55 God, listen to my prayer
and do not ignore my cry for help.
2 Pay attention to me and answer me.
I am troubled and upset
3 by what the enemy says
and how the wicked look at me.
They bring troubles down on me,
and in anger they attack me.
4 I am frightened inside;
the terror of death has attacked me.
5 I am scared and shaking,
and terror grips me.
6 I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove.
Then I would fly away and rest.
7 I would wander far away
and stay in the desert. Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of escape,
far away from the wind and storm.”
9 Lord, destroy and confuse their words,
because I see violence and fighting in the city.
10 Day and night they are all around its walls,
and evil and trouble are everywhere inside.
11 Destruction is everywhere in the city;
trouble and lying never leave its streets.
12 It was not an enemy insulting me.
I could stand that.
It was not someone who hated me.
I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a person like me,
my companion and good friend.
14 We had a good friendship
and walked together to God’s Temple.
15 Let death take away my enemies.
Let them die while they are still young
because evil lives with them.
16 But I will call to God for help,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Morning, noon, and night I am troubled and upset,
but he will listen to me.
18 Many are against me,
but he keeps me safe in battle.
19 God who lives forever
will hear me and punish them. Selah
But they will not change;
they do not fear God.
20 The one who was my friend attacks his friends
and breaks his promises.
21 His words are slippery like butter,
but war is in his heart.
His words are smoother than oil,
but they cut like knives.
22 Give your worries to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
He will never let good people down.
23 But, God, you will bring down
the wicked to the grave.
Murderers and liars will live
only half a lifetime.
But I will trust in you.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.