M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
26 And Ziphites came to Saul into Gibeah, and said, Lo! David is hid in the hill of Hachilah, which is even against the wilderness. (And the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, and said, Lo! David is hid on Mount Hachilah, overlooking Jeshimon.)
2 And Saul rose up, and went down into the desert of Ziph, and with him three thousand of men of the chosen of Israel, that he should seek David in the desert of Ziph. (And Saul rose up, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and three thousand chosen men of Israel went with him, to help him seek out David in the wilderness of Ziph.)
3 And Saul setted his tents in the hill of Hachilah, that was even against the wilderness, in the way. And David dwelled in the desert. Forsooth David saw that Saul had come after him into desert; (And Saul pitched his tents on Mount Hachilah, on the way overlooking Jeshimon. And David stayed in the wilderness. And David knew that Saul had come after him into the wilderness;)
4 and David sent spyers, and learned most certainly, that Saul had come thither.
5 And David rose up privily, and came to the place where Saul was. And when David had seen the place, wherein Saul slept, and Abner, the son of Ner, the prince of his chivalry; and Saul sleeping in the tent, and the tother common people by his compass; (And David rose up quickly, and came to the place where Saul was. And when David had seen the place where Saul slept, and Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of his cavalry, or his army; and Saul was sleeping in his tent, and the other common people were all around him;)
6 David said to Ahimelech, (the) Hittite, and to Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who shall go down with me to Saul into his tents? And Abishai said, I shall go down with thee.
7 Therefore David and Abishai came to the people in the night, and they found Saul lying and sleeping in the tent, and a spear set fast in the earth at his head; forsooth they found Abner and the people sleeping in his compass (and they found Abner and the other people sleeping all around him).
8 And Abishai said to David, God hath closed today thine enemy into thine hands; now therefore I shall pierce him with the spear once (through, and) in(to) the earth, and no need shall be (for) the second time. (And Abishai said to David, God hath enclosed thy enemy in thy hands today; and so now I shall pierce him once through with the spear, and into the ground, and there shall be no need for a second thrust.)
9 And David said to Abishai, Slay thou not him, for who shall hold forth his hand into the christ of the Lord, and shall be innocent? (And David said to Abishai, Kill thou him not, for who shall put his hand against the anointed of the Lord, and still be innocent?)
10 And David said, (As) The Lord liveth, for no but the Lord smite him, either his day come that he die, either he go down into battle, and perish;
11 the Lord be merciful to me, that I hold not forth mine hand into the christ of the Lord; now therefore take thou the spear, that is at his head, and the cup of water, and go we away. (the Lord forbid/God forbid that I put my hand against the Lord’s anointed; and so now, let us take the spear, that is at his head, and the cup of water, and go we away.)
12 Then David took the spear, and the cup of water, that was at the head of Saul, and they went forth, and no man was that saw, and understood, and waked, but all men slept (and there was no one who saw it, or knew it, or even awoke, but all the men slept); for the sleep of the Lord had fallen [up]on them.
13 And when David had passed [over] even against, and had stood on the top of the hill afar (off), and a great space was betwixt them,
14 David cried to the people, and to Abner, the son of Ner, and said, Abner, whether thou wilt not answer? (Abner, wilt thou not answer me?) And Abner answered, and said, Who art thou, that criest, and dis-easest the king?
15 And David said to Abner, Whether thou art not a man (Art thou not a man), and what other man is like thee in Israel? why therefore hast thou not kept thy lord the king (safe)? For one man of the company entered, that he should slay thy lord the king;
16 this that thou hast done, is not good; the Lord liveth, for ye be sons of death, that kept not your lord, the christ of the Lord (this is not good, what thou hast done; as the Lord liveth, for ye be the sons of death, who kept not your lord safe, yea, the Lord’s anointed). Now therefore see thou, where is the spear of the king, and where is the cup of water, that was at his head.
17 Forsooth Saul knew the voice of David, and said, Whether this voice is thine, my son David? (Is this thy voice, David my son?) And David said, My lord the king, it is my voice.
18 And David said, For what cause pursueth my lord his servant? What have I done, either what evil is in mine hand?
19 Now therefore, my lord the king, I pray, hear the words of thy servant; if the Lord stirreth thee against me, the sacrifice be smelled; forsooth if [the] sons of men stir thee, they be cursed in the sight of the Lord, which have cast me out today, that I dwell not in the heritage of the Lord, and say, Go thou, serve thou alien gods. (And so now, my lord the king, I pray thee, listen to the words of thy servant; if the Lord stirreth thee against me, let the sacrifice be smelled; but if the sons of men stir thee, be they cursed before the Lord, they who have thrown me out today, so that I live not in the inheritance of the Lord, and who say to me, Go thou, serve thou foreign, or other, gods.)
20 And now my blood be not shed out in the earth before the Lord; for the king of Israel hath gone out, that he seek a quick flea, as a partridge is pursued in hills. (And now let not my blood be shed out on the ground before the Lord; for the king of Israel hath gone out, so that he can seek after a quick, or an insignificant, flea, like a partridge is pursued over the hills.)
21 And Saul said, I have sinned; turn thou again, my son David, for I shall no more do evil to thee, for my life was precious today in thine eyes; for it seemeth, that I have done follily (that I have done foolishly), and I have unknown full many things.
22 And David answered and said, Lo! the spear of the king, one of the young men of the king pass (over hither), and take it; (And David replied, Lo! the spear of the king; one of the king’s young men come over here, and take it back;)
23 forsooth the Lord shall yield to each man after his rightfulness and his faith; for the Lord betook thee today into mine hand, and I would not hold forth mine hand into the christ of the Lord; (and the Lord shall yield to each man after his uprightness and his faithfulness, or his loyalty; for the Lord delivered thee today into my hands, but I would not put my hand against the Lord’s anointed;)
24 and as thy life is magnified today in mine eyes, so (let) my life be magnified in the eyes of the Lord, and deliver he me from all anguish.
25 Therefore Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David; and soothly thou doing shalt do, and thou mighty shalt be mighty. Then David went forth into his way, and Saul turned again into his place (Then David went forth on his way, and Saul returned home).
7 But of those things that ye have written to me, it is good to a man to touch not a woman [it is good to a man for to not touch a woman].
2 But for fornication each man have his own wife, and each woman have her own husband.
3 The husband yield debt to the wife, and also the wife to the husband.
4 The woman hath not power of her body, but the husband; [also forsooth] and the husband hath not power of his body, but the woman [but the wife].
5 Do not ye defraud each to other [Do not defraud together], but peradventure of consent for a time, that ye give attention to prayer; and again turn again to the same thing, lest Satan tempt you for your uncontinence.
6 But I say this thing as giving leave, not by commandment.[a]
7 For I will, that all men be as myself. But each man hath his proper gift of God; one thus, and another thus.
8 But I say to them, that be not wedded, and to widows [and widows], it is good to them, if they dwell so as I.
9 And if they contain not themselves, be they wedded; for it is better to be wedded, than to be burnt.
10 But to them that be joined in matrimony, I command, not I, but the Lord, that the wife depart not from the husband;
11 and that if she departeth, that she dwell unwedded, or be reconciled to her husband; and the husband forsake not the wife.
12 But to others I say, not the Lord. If any brother hath an unfaithful wife, and she consenteth to dwell with him, leave he her not [If any brother have an unfaithful, or heathen, wife, and she consent for to dwell with him, leave he, or forsake, her not].
13 And if any woman hath an unfaithful husband [And if the woman hath an husband unfaithful], and this consenteth to dwell with her, leave she not the husband.
14 For the unfaithful husband is hallowed by the faithful woman, and the unfaithful woman is hallowed by the faithful husband. Else your children were unclean, but now they be holy.
15 That if the unfaithful departeth, depart he. For why the brother or sister is not subject to servage in such; for God hath called us in peace.
16 And whereof knowest thou, woman, if thou shalt make the man safe; or whereof knowest thou, man, if thou shalt make the woman safe?
17 But as the Lord hath parted to each, and as God hath called each man, so go he, as I teach in all churches.[b]
18 A man circumcised is called, bring he not to prepuce. A man is called in prepuce, be he not circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nought, and prepuce is nought, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
20 Each man in what calling he is called, in that dwell he.
21 Thou servant art called, be it no charge to thee [Thou a servant art called, be it not charge to thee]; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
22 He that is a servant, and is called in the Lord, is a free man of the Lord. Also [and] he that is a free man, and is called, is the servant of Christ.
23 With price ye be bought; do not ye be made servants of men.
24 Therefore each man in what thing he is called a brother, dwell he in this with God. [Each man therefore in what calling he is called, in that dwell he with God.]
25 But of virgins I have no commandment of God; but I give counsel, as he that hath gotten mercy of the Lord, that I be true.
26 Therefore I guess, that this thing is good for the present need; for it is good to a man to be so [for it is good for a man to be so].
27 Thou art bound to a wife, do not thou seek unbinding; thou art unbound from a wife, do not thou seek a wife.
28 But if thou hast taken a wife, thou hast not sinned; and if a maiden is wedded, she sinned not; nevertheless such shall have tribulation of flesh. But I spare you.
29 Therefore, brethren [And so, brethren], I say this thing, The time is short. Another is this, that they that have wives, be as though they had none;
30 and they that weep, as they wept not; and they that joy, as they joyed not; and they that buy, as they had not;
31 and they that use this world, as they that use [it] not. For why the figure of this world passeth.[c]
32 But I will, that ye be without busyness [Forsooth I will you to be without busyness], for he that is without wife, is busy what things be of the Lord, how he shall please God.
33 But he that is with a wife, is busy what things be of the world, how he shall please the wife [how he shall please his wife], and he is parted.
34 And a woman unwedded and [a] maiden thinketh what things be of the Lord, that she be holy in body and spirit. But she that is wedded, thinketh what things be of the world, how she shall please the husband [how she shall please her husband].
35 And I say these things to your profit, not that I cast to you a snare, but to that that is seemly, and that giveth easiness, without hindering to make prayers to the Lord. [Soothly I say these things to your profit, not that I cast to you a snare, but to that that is honest, and that giveth facility, or easiness, without letting to beseech to the Lord.]
36 And if any man guesseth himself to be seen foul on his virgin, that she is full waxen [that she is well old], and so it behooveth to be done, do she that that she will[d]; she sinneth not, if she be wedded[e].
37 For he that ordained stably in his heart [For why he that ordained stably, or steadfast, in his heart], not having need, but having power of his will, and hath deemed in his heart this thing, to keep his virgin [for to keep his virginity], doeth well.
38 Therefore he that joineth his virgin in matrimony, doeth well; and he that joineth not, doeth better.
39 The woman is bound to the law, as long time as her husband liveth; and if her husband is dead, she is delivered from the law of the husband [she is delivered from the law], be she wedded to whom she will, only in the Lord.
40 But she shall be more blessed, if she dwelleth thus [if she shall thus dwell], after my counsel; and I ween, that I have the Spirit of God.
5 And thou, son of man, take to thee a sharp sword, [or (a) razor,] (for) shaving hairs; and thou shalt take it, and shalt lead it by thine head, and by thy beard. And thou shalt take to thee a balance of weight(s), and thou shalt part those. (And thou, son of man, get thee a sharp razor for shaving hair; and thou shalt take it, and shalt lead it over thy head, and over thy beard. And thou shalt get thee a balance of weights, and thou shalt separate, or divide, that hair.)
2 Thou shalt burn the third part with fire in the midst of the city, by the [ful]filling of days of besieging. And thou shalt take the third part, and shalt cut (it) by sword in the compass thereof. But thou shalt scatter the tother third part into the wind; and I shall make naked a sword after them. (Thou shalt burn a third part of it with fire in the midst of the city, at the fulfilling, or at the end, of the days of the besieging. And thou shalt take another third part, and shalt cut it by the sword all around the city. And thou shalt scatter the other third part into the wind; and I shall make naked a sword to go after that hair.)
3 And thou shalt take thereof a little number (of those hairs), and thou shalt bind those in the highness of thy mantle.
4 And again thou shalt take of them, and thou shalt cast forth them into the midst of the fire (and thou shalt throw them forth into the midst of the fire). And thou shalt burn them in (the) fire; and (the) fire shall go out of that into all the house of Israel.
5 The Lord God saith these things, This is Jerusalem; I have set it in the midst of heathen men, and lands in the compass thereof. (The Lord God saith these things, This is Jerusalem; I have set it in the midst of the heathen, and the other lands all around it.)
6 And it despised my dooms, that it was more wicked than heathen men; and it despised my commandments more than lands that be in the compass thereof. For they have cast away my dooms, and they went not in my commandments. (And it despised my laws, or my judgements, so that it was more wicked than the heathen; and it despised my commandments more than the lands that be all around it. For they have throw away my laws, or my judgements, and they did not obey my commandments.)
7 Therefore the Lord God saith these things, For ye have passed heathen men that be in your compass, and ye went not in my commandments, and ye did not my dooms, and ye wrought not by the dooms of heathen men that be in your compass; (And so the Lord God saith these things, For ye have surpassed the heathen who be all around you, and ye did not obey my commandments, and ye did not follow my laws, and ye did not even follow the laws of the heathen who be all around you;)
8 therefore the Lord God saith these things, Lo! I to thee, and I myself shall make dooms in the midst of thee, before the eyes of heathen men; (and so the Lord God saith these things, Lo! I am against thee, and I myself shall bring in judgements in the midst of thee, before the eyes of the heathen;)
9 and I shall do things in thee which I did not, and to which I shall no more make like things, for all thine abominations. (and I shall do things in thee which I have not done before, and which I shall never do again, for all thy abominations.)
10 Therefore fathers shall eat (their) sons in the midst of thee, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I shall make dooms in thee (and I shall bring in judgements upon thee), and I shall winnow all thine remnants into each wind;
11 Therefore (as) I live, saith the Lord God, no but for that that thou defouledest mine holy thing in all thine offences, and in all thine abominations; and I shall break, and mine eye shall not spare, and I shall not do mercy. (And so as I live, saith the Lord God, because thou hast defiled my holy place with all thy offences, and with all thy abominations, I shall break thee, and my eye shall not spare thee, and I shall not have any mercy on thee.)
12 The third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by hunger in the midst of thee; and the third part of thee shall fall down by sword in thy compass; forsooth I shall scatter thy third part into each wind, and I shall draw out a sword after them. (A third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by famine in the midst of thee; and a third part of thee shall fall down by the sword all around thee; and I shall scatter a third part of thee into each wind, and then I shall draw out a sword to go after them.)
13 And I shall [ful]fill my strong vengeance, and I shall make mine indignation to rest in them, and I shall be comforted. And they shall know, that I the Lord spake in my fervent love, when I shall [ful]fill all mine indignation in them. (And I shall fulfill my strong vengeance, and I shall make my indignation to rest upon them, and then I shall be comforted, or shall be satisfied. And they shall know, that I the Lord spoke in my jealous anger, when I shall fulfill all my indignation upon them.)
14 And I shall give thee into desert, [and] into shame to heathen men that be in thy compass, in the sight of each that passeth forth. (And I shall make thee into desolation, and into shame to the heathen who be all around thee, and before each person who passeth by.)
15 And thou shalt be shame and blasphemy, ensample and wondering, among heathen men that be in thy compass, when I shall make dooms in thee, in strong vengeance, and indignation, and in blamings of ire. I the Lord have spoken, (And thou shalt be shame and blasphemy, and example and wondering, among the heathen who be all around thee, when I shall bring in judgements, or pass sentence, upon thee, in strong vengeance, and indignation, and in blamings of anger. I the Lord have spoken,)
16 when I shall send into them the worst arrows of hunger, that shall bear death; and which I shall send, that I lose you (when I shall send into you the worst arrows of famine, that shall carry death; and which I shall send, so that I destroy you). And I shall gather hunger [up]on you, and I shall all-break in you the firmness of bread.
17 And I shall send into you hunger, and worst beasts, till to the death; and pestilence and blood shall pass by thee, and I shall bring in [a] sword on thee; I the Lord spake. (And so I shall send into you famine, and evil, or wild, beasts, unto the death; and pestilence and blood, or slaughter, shall pass through thee, and I shall bring in a sword upon thee; I the Lord spoke.)
42 To victory, to the sons of Korah. As an hart desireth to the wells of waters; so thou, God, my soul desireth to thee. (To victory, for the sons of Korah, for their teaching. Like a hart desireth a well of water; so, O God, my soul desireth thee.)
2 My soul thirsted to God, the quick well/(the) well of life (My soul thirsted for God, the living well/the well of life); when shall I come, and appear before the face of God?
3 My tears were loaves to me day and night; while it is said to me each day, Where is thy God? (My tears were my only food day and night; while my enemies said to me every day/over and over, Where is thy God?)
4 I bethought of these things, and I poured out in me my soul; for I shall pass into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, till to the house of God. In the voice of full out joying, and acknowledging; is the sound of the eater. (I remembered these things, as I poured out my soul; for I had gone with the people, yea, I had gone with them to the House of God. With words of rejoicing, and praising; yea, the sound of the people going in pilgrimage.)
5 My soul, why art thou sorry; and why troublest thou me? Hope thou in God, for yet I shall acknowledge to him; he is the health of my cheer, and my God. (My soul, why art thou feeling so sad? and why troublest thou me? Hope thou in God, for yet I shall praise him; he is my true help, and my God.)
6 My soul is troubled with(in) myself; therefore, God, I shall be mindful of thee from the land of Jordan, and from the little hill of Hermonites. (My soul is troubled within me; and so, O God, I shall remember thee from the land of the Jordan River, and from Mount Hermon, and Mount Mizar.)
7 Depth calleth depth; in the voice of thy windows. All thine high things, and thy waves; passed over me. (One depth calleth unto another depth; in the rush of thy channels. All thy billows, yea, all thy waves, passed over me.)
8 The Lord sent his mercy in the day; and his song in the night (The Lord sent forth his love in the day; and his song in the night). With me is the prayer to (the) God of my life;
9 I shall say to God, Thou art mine up-taker. Why forgettest thou me; and why go I sorrowful, while the enemy tormenteth me? (I shall say to God, Thou art my defender. So why hast thou forgotten me? and why must I go about in sorrow, while the enemy tormenteth me?)
10 While my bones be broken altogether; mine enemies, that trouble me, despised me. While they say to me, by all days; Where is thy God? (I feel as if my bones be altogether broken, or crushed; when my enemies, who trouble me, despise and scorn me. And they say to me, every day/over and over, Where is thy God?)
11 My soul, why art thou sorry; and why troublest thou me? Hope thou in God, for yet I shall acknowledge to him; he is the health of my cheer, and my God. (My soul, why art thou feeling so sad? and why troublest thou me? Hope thou in God, for yet I shall praise him; he is my true help, and my God.)
43 God, deem thou me, and separate thou my cause from a folk not holy; deliver thou me from a wicked man, and guileful. (God, judge thou me, and plead my case before an unholy people; save thou me from the wicked, and the deceitful.)
2 For thou art God, my strength; why hast thou put me aback, and why go I sorrowful (and why must I go about in sorrow), while the enemy tormenteth me?
3 Send out thy light, and thy truth; those led me forth, and brought me into thine holy hill, and into thy tabernacles. (Send out thy light, and thy truth; they shall lead me forth, and bring me to thy holy hill, and to thy Temple.)
4 And I shall enter to the altar of God; to God, that gladdeth my youth. God, my God, I shall acknowledge to thee in an harp; (And I shall go to the altar of God; to God, who made the time of my youth happy/to the God of my joy. God, my God, I shall praise thee on the harp.)
5 my soul, why art thou sorry, and why troublest thou me? Hope thou in God, for yet I shall acknowledge to him; that is the health of my cheer, and my God. (My soul, why art thou feeling so sad? and why troublest thou me? Hope thou in God, for yet shall I praise him; he is my true help, and my God.)
2001 by Terence P. Noble