M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Temple Construction in Jerusalem
3 (A)Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared (B)on the threshing floor of [a]Ornan the Jebusite. 2 He began to build on the second day in the second month [b]of the fourth year of his reign.
Dimensions and Materials of the Temple
3 Now these are the [c]foundations which (C)Solomon laid for building the house of God. The length in [d]cubits, according to the old standard was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits. 4 The porch which was in front of the house (D)was as long as the width of the house, twenty cubits, and the height 120; and inside he overlaid it with pure gold. 5 He overlaid (E)the [e]main room with cypress wood and overlaid it with fine gold, and [f]ornamented it with palm trees and chains. 6 Further, he [g]adorned the house with precious stones; and the gold was gold from [h]Parvaim. 7 (F)He also overlaid the house with gold—the beams, the thresholds and its walls and its doors; and he (G)carved cherubim on the walls.
8 Now he made (H)the [i]room of the holy of holies: its length across the width of the house was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to 600 talents. 9 The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also overlaid (I)the upper rooms with gold.
10 (J)Then he made two [j]sculptured cherubim in the room of the holy of holies and overlaid them with gold. 11 The wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits; the wing of one, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house, and its other wing, of five cubits, touched the wing of the other cherub. 12 The wing of the other cherub, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house; and its other wing of five cubits was attached to the wing of the [k]first cherub. 13 The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits, and they stood on their feet [l]facing the main room. 14 (K)He made the veil of violet, purple, crimson and fine linen, and he worked cherubim on it.
15 (L)He also made two pillars for the front of the house, thirty-five cubits [m]high, and the capital on the top of each was five cubits. 16 He made chains in the inner sanctuary and placed them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates and placed them on the chains. 17 (M)He erected the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right and the other on the left, and named the one on the right Jachin and the one on the left Boaz.
Furnishings of the Temple
4 Then (N)he made a bronze altar, twenty cubits in length and twenty cubits in width and ten cubits in height. 2 (O)Also he made the cast metal sea, ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits and [n]its circumference thirty cubits. 3 Now figures like oxen were under it and all around it, ten cubits, entirely encircling the sea. The oxen were in two rows, cast [o]in one piece. 4 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing the north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them and all their hindquarters turned inwards. 5 It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom; it (P)could hold 3,000 baths. 6 (Q)He also made ten basins in which to wash, and he set five on the right side and five on the left [p]to rinse things for the burnt offering; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.
7 Then (R)he made the ten golden lampstands in the way prescribed for them and he set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. 8 He also made (S)ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. And he made one hundred golden bowls. 9 Then he made (T)the court of the priests and (U)the great court and doors for the court, and overlaid their doors with bronze. 10 (V)He set the sea on the right [q]side of the house toward the southeast.
11 (W)Huram also made the pails, the shovels and the bowls. So Huram finished doing the work which he performed for King Solomon in the house of God: 12 the two pillars, the bowls and the two capitals on top of the pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on top of the pillars, 13 and (X)the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the pillars. 14 (Y)He also made the stands and he made the basins on the stands, 15 and the one sea with the twelve oxen under it. 16 The pails, the shovels, the forks and all its utensils, (Z)Huram-abi made of polished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the Lord. 17 On the plain of the Jordan the king cast them in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18 (AA)Thus Solomon made all these utensils in great quantities, for the weight of the bronze could not be found out.
19 Solomon also made all the things that were in the house of God: even the golden altar, (AB)the tables with the bread of the Presence on them, 20 the lampstands with their lamps of pure gold, (AC)to burn in front of the inner sanctuary in the way prescribed; 21 the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold, of purest gold; 22 and the snuffers, the bowls, the spoons and the firepans of pure gold; and the entrance of the house, its inner doors for the holy of holies and the doors of the house, that is, of the nave, of gold.
Children of God Love One Another
3 See [a](A)how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called (B)children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because (C)it did not know Him. 2 (D)Beloved, now we are (E)children of God, and (F)it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He (G)appears, we will be (H)like Him, because we will (I)see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this (J)hope fixed on Him (K)purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and (L)sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He (M)appeared in order to (N)take away sins; and (O)in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in Him (P)sins; no one who sins has seen Him or [b](Q)knows Him. 7 (R)Little children, make sure no one (S)deceives you; (T)the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is (U)of the devil; for the devil [c]has sinned from the beginning. (V)The Son of God (W)appeared for this purpose, (X)to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is [d](Y)born of God (Z)practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is [e]born of God. 10 By this the (AA)children of God and the (AB)children of the devil are obvious: [f]anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who (AC)does not love his (AD)brother.
11 (AE)For this is the message (AF)which you have heard from the beginning, (AG)that we should love one another; 12 not as (AH)Cain, who was of (AI)the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because (AJ)his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if (AK)the world hates you. 14 We know that we have (AL)passed out of death into life, (AM)because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who (AN)hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that (AO)no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 We know love by this, that (AP)He laid down His life for us; and (AQ)we ought to lay down our lives for the (AR)brethren. 17 But (AS)whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and (AT)closes his [g]heart [h]against him, (AU)how does the love of God abide in him? 18 (AV)Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and (AW)truth. 19 We will know by this that we are (AX)of the truth, and will [i]assure our heart before Him 20 [j]in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 (AY)Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have (AZ)confidence [k]before God; 22 and (BA)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we (BB)keep His commandments and do (BC)the things that are pleasing in His sight.
23 This is His commandment, that we [l](BD)believe in (BE)the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as (BF)He [m]commanded us. 24 The one who (BG)keeps His commandments (BH)abides in Him, and He in him. (BI)We know by this that (BJ)He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
The Overthrow of Nineveh
2 [a]The one who (A)scatters has come up against [b]you.
Man the fortress, watch the road;
[c]Strengthen your back, [d]summon all your strength.
2 For the Lord will restore the (B)splendor of Jacob
(C)Like the splendor of Israel,
Even though devastators have devastated them
And (D)destroyed their vine branches.
3 The shields of [e]his mighty men are colored red,
The warriors are dressed in (E)scarlet,
The chariots are enveloped in [f]flashing steel
[g]When he is prepared to march,
And the cypress (F)spears are brandished.
4 The (G)chariots race madly in the streets,
They rush wildly in the [h]squares,
Their appearance is like torches,
They dash to and fro like lightning flashes.
5 He remembers his (H)nobles;
They (I)stumble in their march,
They hurry to her wall,
And the [i]mantelet is set up.
6 The gates of the rivers are opened
And the palace is dissolved.
7 It is fixed:
She is stripped, she is carried away,
And her handmaids are (J)moaning like the sound of doves,
(K)Beating on their [j]breasts.
8 Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Now they are fleeing;
“Stop, stop,”
But (L)no one turns back.
9 Plunder the silver!
Plunder the (M)gold!
For there is no limit to the treasure—
Wealth from every kind of desirable object.
10 She is (N)emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!
(O)Hearts are melting and knees knocking!
Also anguish is in [k]the whole body
And all their (P)faces are grown pale!
11 Where is the den of the lions
And the feeding place of the (Q)young lions,
Where the lion, lioness and lion’s cub prowled,
With nothing to disturb them?
12 The lion tore enough for his cubs,
[l]Killed enough for his lionesses,
And filled his lairs with prey
And his dens with torn flesh.
13 “Behold, (R)I am against you,” declares the Lord of hosts. “I will (S)burn up her chariots in smoke, a sword will devour your young lions; I will (T)cut off your prey from the land, and no longer will the voice of your messengers be heard.”
Parables on Prayer
18 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they (A)ought to pray and not to (B)lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not (C)respect man. 3 There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘[a]Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor (D)respect man, 5 yet (E)because this widow bothers me, I will [b]give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will [c](F)wear me out.’” 6 And (G)the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; 7 now, will not God (H)bring about justice for His (I)elect who cry to Him day and night, [d]and will He (J)delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, (K)will He find [e]faith on the earth?”
The Pharisee and the Publican
9 And He also told this parable to some people who (L)trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and (M)viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men (N)went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee (O)stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I (P)fast twice a week; I (Q)pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, (R)standing some distance away, (S)was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but (T)was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be [f]merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; (U)for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15 (V)And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I say to you, (W)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”
The Rich Young Ruler
18 (X)A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments, ‘(Y)Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; (Z)sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have (AA)treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “(AB)How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For (AC)it is easier for a camel to [g]go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “(AD)The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
28 Peter said, “Behold, (AE)we have left [h]our own homes and followed You.” 29 And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, (AF)there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times as much at this time and in (AG)the age to come, eternal life.”
31 (AH)Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, (AI)we are going up to Jerusalem, and (AJ)all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 (AK)For He will be [i]handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, 33 and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” 34 But (AL)the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.
Bartimaeus Receives Sight
35 (AM)As [j](AN)Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he called out, saying, “Jesus, (AO)Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “(AP)Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” 42 And Jesus said to him, “[k]Receive your sight; (AQ)your faith has [l]made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, (AR)glorifying God; and when (AS)all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.