M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
6 1-2 Then David mobilized thirty thousand special troops and led them to Baal-judah to bring home the Ark of the Lord of heaven who is enthroned above the Guardian Angels. 3 The Ark was placed upon a new cart and taken from the hillside home of Abinadab. It was driven by Abinadab’s sons, Uzzah and Ahio. 4 Ahio was walking in front 5 and was followed by David and the other leaders of Israel, who were joyously waving branches of juniper trees and playing every sort of musical instrument before the Lord—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
6 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark. 7 Then the anger of the Lord flared out against Uzzah and he killed him for doing this, so he died there beside the Ark. 8 David was angry at what the Lord had done, and named the spot “The Place of Wrath upon Uzzah” (which it is still called to this day).
9 David was now afraid of the Lord and asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark home?” 10 So he decided against taking it into the City of David, but carried it instead to the home of Obed-edom, who had come from Gath. 11 It remained there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
12 When David heard this, he brought the Ark to the City of David with a great celebration. 13 After the men who were carrying it had gone six paces, they stopped and waited so that he could sacrifice an ox and a fat lamb. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might and was wearing priests’ clothing.[a] 15 So Israel brought home the Ark of the Lord with much shouting and blowing of trumpets.
16 (But as the procession came into the city, Michal, Saul’s daughter, watched from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she was filled with contempt for him.)
17 The Ark was placed inside the tent that David had prepared for it; and he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 18 Then he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of heaven 19 and gave a present to everyone—men and women alike—of a loaf of bread, some wine, and a cake of raisins. When it was all over, and everyone had gone home, 20 David returned to bless his family.
But Michal came out to meet him and exclaimed in disgust, “How glorious the king of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the girls along the street like a common pervert!”
21 David retorted, “I was dancing before the Lord who chose me above your father and his family and who appointed me as leader of Israel, the people of the Lord! So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the Lord. 22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, but I will be respected by the girls of whom you spoke!”
23 So Michal was childless throughout her life.
16 Now here are the directions about the money you are collecting to send to the Christians in Jerusalem;[a] (and, by the way, these are the same directions I gave to the churches in Galatia). 2 On every Lord’s Day each of you should put aside something from what you have earned during the week, and use it for this offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. 3 When I come I will send your loving gift with a letter to Jerusalem, to be taken there by trustworthy messengers you yourselves will choose. 4 And if it seems wise for me to go along too, then we can travel together.
5 I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia first, but I will be staying there only for a little while. 6 It could be that I will stay longer with you, perhaps all winter, and then you can send me on to my next destination. 7 This time I don’t want to make just a passing visit and then go right on; I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. 8 I will be staying here at Ephesus until the holiday of Pentecost, 9 for there is a wide open door for me to preach and teach here. So much is happening, but there are many enemies.
10 If Timothy comes make him feel at home, for he is doing the Lord’s work just as I am. 11 Don’t let anyone despise or ignore him because he is young,[b] but send him back to me happy with his time among you; I am looking forward to seeing him soon, along with the others who are returning.
12 I begged Apollos to visit you along with the others, but he thought that it was not at all God’s will for him to go now; he will be seeing you later on when he has the opportunity.
13 Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger; stand true to the Lord; act like men; be strong; 14 and whatever you do, do it with kindness and love.
15 Do you remember Stephanas and his family? They were the first to become Christians in Greece, and they are spending their lives helping and serving Christians everywhere. 16 Please follow their instructions and do everything you can to help them as well as all others like them who work hard at your side with such real devotion. 17 I am so glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have arrived here for a visit. They have been making up for the help you aren’t here to give me. 18 They have cheered me greatly and have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as I am sure they were to you, too. I hope you properly appreciate the work of such men as these.
19 The churches here in Asia send you their loving greetings. Aquila and Priscilla send you their love, and so do all the others who meet in their home for their church service. 20 All the friends here have asked me to say hello to you for them. And give each other a loving handshake when you meet.
21 I will write these final words of this letter with my own hand: 22 if anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Lord Jesus, come! 23 May the love and favor of the Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you. 24 My love to all of you, for we all belong to Christ Jesus.
Sincerely, Paul
14 Then some of the elders of Israel visited me to ask me for a message from the Lord, 2 and this is the message that came to me to give to them:
3 “Son of dust, these men worship idols in their hearts—should I let them ask me anything? 4 Tell them, ‘The Lord God says: I, the Lord, will personally deal with anyone in Israel who worships idols and then comes to ask my help. 5 For I will punish the minds and hearts of those who turn from me to idols.’
6-7 “Therefore, warn them that the Lord God says: ‘Repent and destroy your idols, and stop worshiping them in your hearts. I the Lord will personally punish everyone, whether people of Israel or the foreigners living among you, who rejects me for idols and then comes to a prophet to ask for my help and advice. 8 I will turn upon him and make a terrible example of him, destroying him; and you shall know I am the Lord. 9 And if one of the false prophets gives him a message anyway, it is a lie. His prophecy will not come true, and I will stand against that “prophet” and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 False prophets and hypocrites—evil people who say they want my words—all will be punished for their sins, 11 so that the people of Israel will learn not to desert me and not to be polluted any longer with sin. They will be my people and I their God.’ So says the Lord.”
12 Then this message of the Lord came to me:
13 “Son of dust, if the people of a land sin against me, then I will crush them with my fist, break off their food supply, and send famine to destroy both man and beast. 14 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they alone would be saved by their righteousness, and I would destroy the remainder of Israel,” says the Lord God.
15 “If I send an invasion of dangerous wild animals into the land to devastate the land, 16 even if these three men were there, the Lord God swears that it would do no good—it would not save the people from their doom. Those three only would be saved, but the land would be devastated.
17 “Or if I bring war against that land and tell the armies of the enemy to come and destroy everything, 18 even if these three men were in the land, the Lord God declares that they alone would be saved.
19 “And if I pour out my fury by sending an epidemic of disease into the land, and the plague kills man and beast alike, 20 though Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, the Lord God says that only they would be saved because of their righteousness.”
21 And the Lord says: “Four great punishments await Jerusalem to destroy all life: war, famine, ferocious beasts, plague. 22 If there are survivors and they come here to join you as exiles in Babylon, you will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and you will know it was right for me to destroy Jerusalem. 23 You will agree, when you meet them, that it is not without cause that all these things are being done to Israel.”
55 Listen to my prayer, O God; don’t hide yourself when I cry to you. 2 Hear me, Lord! Listen to me! For I groan and weep beneath my burden of woe.
3 My enemies shout against me and threaten me with death. They surround me with terror and plot to kill me. Their fury and hatred rise to engulf me. 4 My heart is in anguish within me. Stark fear overpowers me. 5 Trembling and horror overwhelm me. 6 Oh, for wings like a dove, to fly away and rest! 7 I would fly to the far-off deserts and stay there. 8 I would flee to some refuge from all this storm.
9 O Lord, make these enemies begin to quarrel among themselves—destroy them with their own violence and strife.[a] 10 Though they patrol their walls night and day against invaders, their real problem is internal—wickedness and dishonesty are entrenched in the heart of the city. 11 There is murder and robbery there, and cheating in the markets and wherever you look.
12 It was not an enemy who taunted me—then I could have borne it; I could have hidden and escaped. 13 But it was you, a man like myself, my companion and my friend. 14 What fellowship we had, what wonderful discussions as we walked together to the Temple of the Lord on holy days.
15 Let death seize them and cut them down in their prime, for there is sin in their homes, and they are polluted to the depths of their souls.
16 But I will call upon the Lord to save me—and he will. 17 I will pray morning, noon, and night, pleading aloud with God; and he will hear and answer. 18 Though the tide of battle runs strongly against me, for so many are fighting me, yet he will rescue me. 19 God himself—God from everlasting ages past—will answer them! For they refuse to fear him or even honor his commands.
20 This friend of mine betrayed me—I who was at peace with him. He broke his promises. 21 His words were oily smooth, but in his heart was war. His words were sweet, but underneath were daggers.
22 Give your burdens to the Lord. He will carry them. He will not permit the godly to slip or fall. 23 He will send my enemies to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will not live out half their days. But I am trusting you to save me.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.