M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Contributions for Building the Temple

29 Then King David said to all the assembly, “My son Solomon—God has chosen him alone—is young and inexperienced. The task is great^(A) because the temple will not be for man but for the Lord God.^{(B) 2} So to the best of my ability I’ve made provision for the house of my God:^(C) gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for mounting,^[a] antimony,^[b](D) stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and a great quantity of marble. ³ Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the house of my God over and above all that I’ve provided for the holy house: ⁴ 100 tons^[c](E) of gold (gold of Ophir^(F)) and 250 tons^[d] of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings, ⁵ the gold for the gold work and the silver for the silver, for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the Lord today?”

⁶ Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds,^(G) and the officials in charge of the king’s work^(H) gave willingly. ⁷ For the service of God’s house they gave 185 tons^[e] of gold and 10,000 gold coins,^[f](I) 375 tons^[g] of silver, 675 tons^[h] of bronze, and 4,000 tons^[i] of iron. ⁸ Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the Lord’s house under the care of Jehiel^(J) the Gershonite. ⁹ Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders’ willingness to give, for they had given to the Lord with a whole heart.^(K) King David also rejoiced greatly.

David’s Prayer

¹⁰ Then David praised the Lord in the sight of all the assembly. David said,

²⁰ Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God.” So the whole assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors.^(U) They bowed down and paid homage to the Lord and the king.^(V)

²¹ The following day they offered sacrifices to the Lord and burnt offerings to the Lord: 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, along with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.^{(W) 22} They ate and drank with great joy in the Lord’s presence that day.

The Enthronement of Solomon

Then, for a second time,^(X) they made David’s son Solomon king; they anointed him^[m] as the Lord’s ruler,^(Y) and Zadok as the priest. ²³ Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.^{(Z) 24} All the leaders and the mighty men, and all of King David’s sons as well, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. ²⁵ The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel^(AA) and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been bestowed on any king over Israel before him.^(AB)

A Summary of David’s Life

²⁶ David son of Jesse was king over all Israel.^{(AC) 27} The length of his reign over Israel was 40 years; he reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for 33.^{(AD) 28} He died at a ripe old age,^(AE) full of days,^(AF) riches, and honor, and his son Solomon became king in his place. ²⁹ As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, note that they are written in the Events of Samuel the Seer,^(AG) the Events of Nathan the Prophet,^(AH) and the Events of Gad the Seer,^{(AI) 30} along with all his reign, his might, and the incidents that affected him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands.

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends, this is now the second letter^(A) I have written to you; in both letters, I want to develop a genuine^(B) understanding with a reminder, ² so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. ³ First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days^(C) to scoff, living according to their own desires, ⁴ saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?^(D) Ever since the fathers fell asleep,^(E) all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water^(F) by the word of God.^{(G) 6} Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded.^{(H) 7} But by the same word,^(I) the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment^(J) and destruction of ungodly men.

⁸ Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.^{(K) 9} The Lord does not delay His promise,^(L) as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any^(M) to perish^(N) but all to come to repentance.^(O)

¹⁰ But the Day of the Lord^(P) will come like a thief;^[a](Q) on that day the heavens will pass away^(R) with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved,^(S) and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.^{[b] 11} Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness ¹² as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming^[c] of the day of God.^(T) The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. ¹³ But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth,^(U) where righteousness will dwell.^(V)

Conclusion

¹⁴ Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish.^{(W) 15} Also, regard the patience of our Lord as an opportunity for salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him.^{(X) 16} He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction,^(Y) as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard,^(Z) so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge^(AA) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.^[d](AB) Amen.^[e]

God’s Lawsuit against Judah

6 Now listen to what the Lord is saying:

Verdict of Judgment

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 All^(A) the tax collectors^(B) and sinners were approaching to listen to Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners^(C) and eats with them!”

³ So He told them this parable:^{(D) 4} “What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them,^(E) does not leave the 99 in the open field^[a] and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶ and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven^(F) over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or what woman who has 10 silver coins,^[b] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ When she finds it, she calls her women friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ ¹⁰ I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels^(G) over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ He also said: “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets^[c] to them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered^(H) his estate in foolish living.^{(I) 14} After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.^{[d] 15} Then he went to work for^[e] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.^{(J) 16} He longed to eat his fill from^[f] the carob pods^[g] the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. ¹⁷ When he came to his senses,^[h] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!^{[i] 18} I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned^(K) against heaven^(L) and in your sight. ¹⁹ I’m no longer worthy^(M) to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion.^(N) He ran, threw his arms around his neck,^[j] and kissed^(O) him. ²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe^(P) and put it on him; put a ring^(Q) on his finger^[k] and sandals^(R) on his feet. ²³ Then bring the fattened calf^(S) and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and is alive again;^(T) he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’^[l]

²⁸ “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets^[m] with prostitutes,^(U) you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

³¹ “‘Son,’^[n] he said to him, ‘you are always with me,^(V) and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”