M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Returning to the Lord
30 “When all these things happen to you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you come to your senses while you are in all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,(A) 2 and you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and all your soul(B) by doing[a] everything I am commanding you today, 3 then he will restore your fortunes,[b](C) have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.(D) 4 Even if your exiles are at the farthest horizon, he will gather you and bring you back from there.(E) 5 The Lord your God will bring you into the land your ancestors possessed, and you will take possession of it.(F) He will cause you to prosper and multiply you more than he did your ancestors.(G) 6 The Lord your God will circumcise your heart(H) and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live.(I) 7 The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. 8 Then you will again obey him and follow all his commands I am commanding you today. 9 The Lord your God will make you prosper abundantly in all the work of your hands,(J) your offspring,[c] the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land. Indeed, the Lord will again delight in your prosperity, as he delighted in that of your ancestors, 10 when you obey the Lord your God by keeping his commands and statutes that are written in this book of the law and return to him with all your heart and all your soul.
Choose Life
11 “This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach. 12 It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ 13 And it is not across the sea so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ 14 But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it.(K) 15 See, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity.(L) 16 For[d] I am commanding you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live[e] and multiply, and the Lord your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not listen and you are led astray to bow in worship to other gods and serve them, 18 I tell you today that you will certainly perish and will not prolong your days in the land you are entering to possess across the Jordan. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life(M) so that you and your descendants may live, 20 love the Lord your God, obey him, and remain faithful[f] to him. For he is your life, and he will prolong your days as you live in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors(N) Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
י Yod
73 Your hands made me and formed me;(A)
give me understanding
so that I can learn your commands.(B)
74 Those who fear you will see me and rejoice,(C)
for I put my hope in your word.(D)
75 I know, Lord, that your judgments are just
and that you have afflicted me fairly.(E)
76 May your faithful love comfort me
as you promised your servant.
77 May your compassion come to me(F)
so that I may live,
for your instruction is my delight.(G)
78 Let the arrogant be put to shame(H)
for slandering me with lies;
I will meditate on your precepts.
79 Let those who fear you,
those who know your decrees, turn to me.
80 May my heart be blameless regarding your statutes(I)
so that I will not be put to shame.
כ Kaph
81 I long for your salvation;(J)
I put my hope in your word.(K)
82 My eyes grow weary
looking for what you have promised;(L)
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
83 Though I have become like a wineskin dried by smoke,
I do not forget your statutes.
84 How many days must your servant wait?
When will you execute judgment on my persecutors?(M)
85 The arrogant have dug pits for me;(N)
they violate your instruction.
86 All your commands are true;
people persecute me with lies—help me!(O)
87 They almost ended my life on earth,
but I did not abandon your precepts.
88 Give me life in accordance with your faithful love,
and I will obey the decree you have spoken.
ל Lamed
89 Lord, your word is forever;(P)
it is firmly fixed in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness is for all generations;(Q)
you established the earth, and it stands firm.(R)
91 Your judgments stand firm today,(S)
for all things are your servants.(T)
92 If your instruction had not been my delight,
I would have died in my affliction.(U)
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for you have given me life through them.(V)
94 I am yours; save me,(W)
for I have studied your precepts.(X)
95 The wicked hope to destroy me,(Y)
but I contemplate your decrees.
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your command is without limit.
57 The righteous person perishes,
and no one takes it to heart;
the faithful are taken away,
with no one realizing
that the righteous person is taken away
because of[a] evil.
2 He will enter into peace—
they will rest on their beds[b]—
everyone who lives uprightly.
Pagan Religion Denounced
3 But come here,
you witch’s sons,
offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute![c]
4 Who are you mocking?
Who are you opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue at?
Isn’t it you, you rebellious children,(A)
you offspring of liars,
5 who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree,(B)
who slaughter children in the wadis
below the clefts of the rocks?(C)
6 Your portion is among the smooth stones of the wadi;
indeed, they are your lot.
You have even poured out a drink offering to them;
you have offered a grain offering;
should I be satisfied with these?
7 You have placed your bed
on a high and lofty mountain;(D)
you also went up there to offer sacrifice.
8 You have set up your memorial
behind the door and doorpost.
For away from me, you stripped,
went up, and made your bed wide,(E)
and you have made a bargain[d] for yourself with them.
You have loved their bed;
you have gazed on their genitals.[e][f]
9 You went to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away(F)
and sent them down even to Sheol.
10 You became weary on your many journeys,
but you did not say, “It’s hopeless!” (G)
You found a renewal of your strength;[g]
therefore you did not grow weak.
11 Who was it you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and didn’t remember me
or take it to heart?
I have kept silent for a long time, haven’t I?[h](H)
So you do not fear me.
12 I will announce your righteousness,
and your works—they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out,
let your collection of idols rescue you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land(I)
and possess my holy mountain.(J)
Healing and Peace
14 He said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
remove every obstacle from my people’s way.”(K)
15 For the High and Exalted One,
who lives forever, whose name is holy,(L) says this:
“I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,(M)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.(N)
16 For I will not accuse you forever,
and I will not always be angry;(O)
for then the spirit would grow weak before me,
even the breath, which I have made.
17 Because of his sinful greed I was angry,(P)
so I struck him; I was angry and hid;
but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,(Q)
19 creating words of praise.”[i](R)
The Lord says,
“Peace, peace to the one who is far or near,(S)
and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,(T)
for it cannot be still,
and its water churns up mire and muck.
21 There is no peace for the wicked,”
says my God.(U)
The Sermon on the Mount
5 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain,(A) and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then[a] he began to teach them, saying:(B)
The Beatitudes
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,(C)
for the kingdom of heaven(D) is theirs.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,(E)
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the humble,(F)
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,(G)
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.(H)
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.(I)
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.(J)
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for the kingdom of heaven(K) is theirs.
11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted(L) the prophets who were before you.(M)
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty?[b] It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.(N)
14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.(O) 15 No one lights a lamp(P) and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.(Q) 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.(R)
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.(S) 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter[c] or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.(T) 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder,[d](U) and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.(V) 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister[e] will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults[f] his brother or sister will be subject to the court.[g] Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.[h](W) 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to[i] the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.(X) 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.[j]
Adultery Begins in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.[k](Y) 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.(Z) 29 If your right eye causes you to sin,(AA) gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.(AB) 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce Practices Censured
31 “It was also said, Whoever divorces(AC) his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.[l](AD) 32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.(AE)
Tell the Truth
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors,You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.[m](AF) 34 But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.(AG) 36 Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.(AH)
Go the Second Mile
38 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.[n](AI) 39 But I tell you, don’t resist[o] an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.(AJ) 40 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.(AK)
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor[p](AL) and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies[q] and pray for those who[r] persecute you,(AM) 45 so that you may be[s] children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.(AN) 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary?[t](AO) Don’t even the Gentiles[u] do the same? 48 Be perfect,(AP) therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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