M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

David Spares Saul’s Life

24 ^[a]When Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, he was told “Now David is in the desert near En Gedi.” ² Then Saul took 3,000 of the best-trained men from all Israel and went to search for David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³ He came to some sheep pens along the road where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself while David and his men were sitting further back in the cave.

⁴ David’s men told him, “Today is the day Yahweh referred to when he said, ‘I’m going to hand your enemy over to you. You will do to him whatever you think is right.’”

David quietly got up and cut off the border of Saul’s robe. ⁵ But afterward, David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the border of Saul’s robe. ⁶ He said to his men, “It would be unthinkable for me to raise my hand against His Majesty, Yahweh’s anointed king, since he is Yahweh’s anointed.” ⁷ So David stopped^[b] his men by saying this to them and didn’t let them attack Saul.

Saul left the cave and went out onto the road. ⁸ Later, David got up, left the cave, and called to Saul, “Your Majesty!” When Saul looked back, David knelt down with his face touching the ground. ⁹ David asked Saul, “Why do you listen to rumors that I am trying to harm you? ¹⁰ Today you saw how Yahweh handed you over to me in the cave. Although I was told to kill you, I spared you, saying, ‘I will not raise my hand against Your Majesty because you are Yahweh’s anointed.’ ¹¹ My master, look at this! The border of your robe is in my hand! Since I cut off the border of your robe and didn’t kill you, you should know and be able to see I mean no harm or rebellion. I haven’t sinned against you, but you are trying to ambush me in order to take my life. ¹² May Yahweh decide between you and me. May Yahweh take revenge on you for what you did to me. However, I will not lay a hand on you. ¹³ It’s like people used to say long ago, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’ But I will not lay a hand on you. ¹⁴ Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? One flea? ¹⁵ So Yahweh must be the judge. He will decide between you and me. He will watch and take my side in this matter and set me free from you.”

¹⁶ When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, my servant David?” and Saul cried loudly. ¹⁷ He told David, “You are more righteous than I. You treated me well while I treated you badly. ¹⁸ Today you have proved how good you’ve been to me. When Yahweh handed me over to you, you didn’t kill me. ¹⁹ When a person finds an enemy, does he send him away unharmed? Yahweh will repay you completely for what you did for me today. ²⁰ Now I know that you certainly will rule as king, and under your guidance the kingdom of Israel will prosper. ²¹ Swear an oath to Yahweh for me that you will not wipe out my descendants or destroy my name in my father’s family.”

²² So David swore to Saul. Then Saul went home, and David and his men went to their fortified camp.

How to Treat Christians Who Live Like Non-Christians

5 Your own members are aware that there is sexual sin going on among them. This kind of sin is not even heard of among unbelievers—a man is actually married to his father’s wife. ² You’re being arrogant when you should have been more upset about this. If you had been upset, the man who did this would have been removed from among you. ³ Although I’m not physically present with you, I am with you in spirit. I have already judged the man who did this as though I were present with you. ⁴ When you have gathered together, I am with you in spirit. Then, in the name of our Lord Yeshua, and with his power, ⁵ hand such a person over to Satan to destroy his corrupt nature so that his spiritual nature may be saved on the day of the Lord.

⁶ It’s not good for you to brag. Don’t you know that a little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough? ⁷ Remove the old yeast of sin so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you don’t actually have the yeast of sin.

Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸ So we must not celebrate our festival with the old yeast of sin or with the yeast of vice and wickedness. Instead, we must celebrate it with the bread of purity and truth that has no yeast.

⁹ In my letter to you I told you not to associate with people who continue to commit sexual sins. ¹⁰ I didn’t tell you that you could not have any contact with unbelievers who commit sexual sins, are greedy, are dishonest, or worship false gods. If that were the case, you would have to leave this world. ¹¹ Now, what I meant was that you should not associate with people who call themselves brothers or sisters in the Christian faith but live in sexual sin, are greedy, worship false gods, use abusive language, get drunk, or are dishonest. Don’t eat with such people.

¹² After all, do I have any business judging those who are outside the Christian faith? Isn’t it your business to judge those who are inside? ¹³ God will judge those who are outside. Remove that wicked man from among you.

3 Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this scroll. Then speak to the people of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

³ He said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I’m giving you, and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

⁴ He said to me, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel, and speak my words to them. ⁵ I am not sending you to people whose language is hard to understand or difficult to speak. I am sending you to Israel. ⁶ I am not sending you to nations whose language is hard to understand, difficult to speak, or whose words you cannot understand. If I send you to those nations, they will certainly listen to you. ⁷ But the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you because they refuse to listen to me. All the people of Israel are very stubborn and hardheaded. ⁸ Yet, I will make you as stubborn and as hardheaded as they are. ⁹ I will make you as hard as a diamond, harder than stone. Don’t be afraid of them. Don’t be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people.”

¹⁰ He also said to me, “Son of man, take to heart everything I have spoken to you, and listen closely. ¹¹ Go to the exiles, to your people. Whether they listen or not, tell them, ‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says.’”

¹² Then the Ruach lifted me, and behind me I heard a loud thundering voice say, “Blessed is Yahweh’s glory, which left this place.” ¹³ I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures touching one another and the noise of the wheels beside them as well as a loud rumbling. ¹⁴ Then the Ruach lifted me and took me away. I went away feeling bitter and angry. The strong power of Yahweh came over me. ¹⁵ I went to Tel Abib, to the exiles who lived by the Chebar River. I sat there among them for seven days. I was stunned.

Ezekiel Is Appointed to Be a Watchman

¹⁶ After seven days Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, ¹⁷ “Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me. ¹⁸ Suppose I tell you that wicked people will surely die, but you don’t warn them or speak out so that they can change their wicked ways in order to save their lives. Then these wicked people will die because of their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths. ¹⁹ But suppose you warn the wicked people, and they don’t turn from their wicked ways. Then they will die because of their sin, but you will save yourself. ²⁰ If righteous people turn from living the right way and do wrong, I will make them stumble, and they will die. If you don’t warn them, they will die because of their sin, and the right things they did will not be remembered. I will hold you responsible for their deaths. ²¹ But if you warn righteous people not to sin, and they don’t sin, they will certainly live because they listened to the warning. You will save yourself.”

The Lord Gives Ezekiel Directions to Follow

²² The power of Yahweh came over me. He said, “Get up, and go to the plain. I will speak to you there.” ²³ I got up and went to the plain. Yahweh’s glory was standing there like the glory I saw by the Chebar River, and I immediately bowed down.

²⁴ Then the Ruach entered me and stood me on my feet. He talked to me. He said, “Go into your home, and shut yourself inside. ²⁵ People will tie you up with ropes, son of man, so that you can’t go outside. ²⁶ I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you can’t talk or criticize them, even though they are rebellious people. ²⁷ But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth. You will tell them, ‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says.’ Some will listen, and some will refuse to listen. They are rebellious people.”

Psalm 39

For the choir director; for Jeduthun; a psalm by David.