M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Sacred Chest
(Exodus 25.10-22)
37 Bezalel built a chest of acacia wood 110 centimeters long, 66 centimeters wide, and 66 centimeters high. 2 He covered it inside and out with pure gold and put a gold edging around the top. 3 He made four gold rings and attached one of them to each of the four legs of the chest. 4 Then he made two poles of acacia wood, covered them with gold, 5 and put them through the rings, so the chest could be carried by the poles.
6 The entire lid of the chest, which was made of pure gold, was the place of mercy.[a] 7-9 On each of the two ends of the chest he made a winged creature of hammered gold. They faced each other, and their wings covered the place of mercy.
The Table for the Sacred Bread
(Exodus 25.23-30)
10 Bezalel built a table of acacia wood 88 centimeters long, 44 centimeters wide, and 66 centimeters high. 11-12 He covered it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it with a border 75 millimeters thick.[b] 13 He made four gold rings and attached one to each of the legs 14 near the edging. The poles for carrying the table were placed through these rings 15 and were made of acacia wood covered with gold. 16 Everything that was to be set on the table was made of pure gold—the bowls, plates, jars, and cups for wine offerings.
The Lampstand
(Exodus 25.31-40)
17 Bezalel made a lampstand of pure gold. The whole lampstand, including its decorative flowers, was made from a single piece of hammered gold, 18 with three branches on each of its two sides. 19 There were three decorative almond blossoms on each branch 20 and four on the stem. 21 There was also a blossom where each pair of branches came out from the stem. 22 The lampstand, including its branches and decorative flowers, was made from a single piece of hammered pure gold. 23-24 The lamp and its equipment, including the tongs and trays, were made of about 35 kilograms of pure gold.
The Altar for Burning Incense
(Exodus 30.1-5)
25 For burning incense, Bezalel made an altar of acacia wood. It was 45 centimeters square and 90 centimeters high with each of its four corners sticking up like the horn of a bull. 26 He covered it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it. 27 Then below the edging on opposite sides he attached two gold rings through which he put the poles for carrying the altar. 28 These poles were also made of acacia wood and covered with gold.
The Oil for Dedication and the Incense
(Exodus 30.22-38)
29 (A) Bezalel mixed the sacred oil for dedication and the pure spices for the sweet-smelling incense.
16 I am telling you these things, so that you will not turn away. 2 You will be chased out of the synagogues. And the time will come when people will kill you and think they are doing God a favor. 3 They will do these things because they don't know either the Father or me. 4 I am saying this to you now, so that when the time comes, you will remember what I have said.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
I was with you at the first, and so I didn't tell you these things. 5 But now I am going back to the Father who sent me, and none of you asks me where I am going. 6 You are very sad from hearing all of this. 7 But I tell you I am going to do what is best for you. This is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help[a] you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.
8 The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. 9 The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me. 10 They are wrong about God's justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won't see me again. 11 And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world.
12 I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand. 13 (A) The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. 14 The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.
Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16 Jesus told his disciples, “For a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me.”
17 They said to each other, “What does Jesus mean by saying that for a little while we won't see him, but after a while we will see him? What does he mean by saying he is going to the Father? 18 What is this ‘little while’ that he is talking about? We don't know what he means.”
19 Jesus knew they had some questions, so he said:
You are wondering what I meant when I said that for a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me. 20 I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy.
21 When a woman is about to give birth, she is in great pain. But after it is all over, she forgets the pain and is happy, because she has brought a child into the world. 22 You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel. 23 When that time comes, you won't have to ask me about anything. I tell you for certain the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. 24 You have not asked for anything in this way before, but now you must ask in my name.[b] Then it will be given to you, so you will be completely happy.
25 I have used examples to explain to you what I have been talking about. But the time will come when I will speak to you plainly about the Father and will no longer use examples like these. 26 You will ask the Father in my name,[c] and I won't have to ask him for you. 27 God the Father loves you because you love me, and you believe I have come from him. 28 I came from the Father into the world, but I am leaving the world and returning to the Father.
29 The disciples said, “Now you are speaking plainly to us! You are not using examples. 30 At last we know that you understand everything, and we don't have any more questions. Now we believe you truly have come from God.”
31 Jesus replied:
Do you really believe me? 32 The time will come and is already here when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go back home and leave me by myself. But the Father will be with me, and I won't be alone. 33 I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.[d]
Wise Friends Make You Wise
13 Children with good sense
accept correction
from their parents,
but stubborn children
ignore it completely.
2 You will be well rewarded
for saying something kind,
but all some people think about
is how to be cruel and mean.
3 (A) Keep what you know to yourself,
and you will be safe;
talk too much,
and you are done for.
4 No matter how much you want,
laziness won't help a bit,
but hard work will reward you
with more than enough.
5 A good person hates deceit,
but those who are evil
cause shame and disgrace.
6 Live right, and you are safe!
But sin will destroy you.
7 Some who have nothing
may pretend to be rich,
and some who have everything
may pretend to be poor.
8 The rich may have
to pay a ransom,
but the poor don't have
that problem.
9 The lamp of a good person
keeps on shining;
the lamp of an evil person
soon goes out.
10 Too much pride causes trouble.
Be sensible and take advice.
11 Money wrongly[a] gained
will disappear bit by bit;
money earned little by little
will grow and grow.
12 Not getting what you want
can break your heart,
but a wish that comes true
is a life-giving tree.
13 If you reject God's teaching,
you will pay the price;
if you obey his commands,
you will be rewarded.
14 Sensible instruction
is a life-giving fountain
that helps you escape
all deadly traps.
15 Sound judgment is praised,
but people without good sense
are on the way to disaster.[b]
16 If you have good sense,
you will act sensibly,
but fools act like fools.
17 Whoever delivers your message
can make things better
or worse for you.
18 All who refuse correction
will be poor and disgraced;
all who accept correction
will be praised.
19 It's a good feeling
to get what you want,
but only a stupid fool
hates to turn from evil.
20 (B) Wise friends make you wise,
but you hurt yourself
by going around with fools.
21 You are in for trouble
if you sin,
but you will be rewarded
if you live right.
22 If you obey God,
you will have something
to leave your grandchildren.
If you don't obey God,
those who live right
will get what you leave.
23 Even when the land of the poor
produces good crops,
they get cheated
out of what they grow.[c]
24 If you love your children,
you will correct them;
if you don't love them,
you won't correct them.
25 If you live right,
you will have plenty to eat;
if you don't live right,
you will go away empty.
Children and Parents
6 (A) Children, you belong to the Lord, and you do the right thing when you obey your parents. The first commandment with a promise says, 2 (B) “Obey your father and your mother, 3 and you will have a long and happy life.”
4 (C) Parents, don't be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord.
Slaves and Masters
5 (D) Slaves, you must obey your earthly masters. Show them great respect and be as loyal to them as you are to Christ. 6 Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. You are slaves of Christ, so with your whole heart you must do what God wants you to do. 7 Gladly serve your masters, as though they were the Lord himself, and not simply people. 8 You know that you will be rewarded for any good things you do, whether you are slaves or free.
9 (E) Slave owners, you must treat your slaves with this same respect. Don't threaten them. They have the same Master in heaven that you do, and he doesn't have favorites.
The Fight against Evil
10 Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. 11 (F) Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. 12 We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. 13 So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day[a] comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.
14 (G)(H) Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. 15 (I) Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. 16 Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 (J) Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit.
18 Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. 19 Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. 20 I was sent to do this work, and this is the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.
Final Greetings
21-22 (K) I want you to know how I am getting along and what I am doing. This is why I am sending Tychicus to you. He is a dear friend, as well as a faithful servant of the Lord. He will tell you how I am doing, and he will cheer you up.
23 I pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give peace, love, and faith to every follower! 24 May God be kind to everyone who keeps on loving our Lord Jesus Christ.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.