M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

6 Forsooth the sons of prophets said to Elisha, Lo! the place in which we dwell before thee, is strait to us; (And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Lo! the place in which we live before thee, is too narrow, or too small, for us;)

² go we therefore to Jordan, and each man take a portion of wood for himself, that we build to us there a place to dwell therein (so that we can build a place there for all of us to live in). And Elisha said, Go ye.

³ And one of them said, Therefore and thou come with thy servants. (And) He answered, I shall come.

⁴ And he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they hewed trees (they cut down some wood).

⁵ And it befelled, that when a man of them had cut down [a] matter, or (a piece of) wood, the iron of the ax felled into the water; and he cried [out], and said, Alas! alas! alas! my lord, and I had taken this same thing by borrowing (for I have borrowed this thing from someone!).

⁶ Soothly the man of God said, Where felled it? And he showed to him the place. Therefore he cutted down a tree, and sent it thither where the iron was; and the iron floated (And so he cut off a stick, and sent it down to where the piece of iron was; and the iron floated up).

⁷ And Elisha said, Take thou (it). Which held forth the hand, and took it (And he put forth his hand, and took it).

⁸ Forsooth the king of Syria fought against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, and said, Set we ambushments in this place, and in that.

⁹ And therefore the man of God sent to the king of Israel, and said, Beware, lest thou pass to that place, for (the) men of Syria be there in ambushments.

¹⁰ Therefore the king of Israel sent to the place, which the man of God had said to him, and before-occupied it, and kept himself there, not once, neither twice. (And so the king of Israel sent word to the place about which the man of God had warned him, and took precautions whenever he was there, and not just once, or twice.)

¹¹ And the heart of the king of Syria was troubled for this thing; and when his servants were called together, he said, Why show ye not to me, who is my traitor with the king of Israel?

¹² And one of his servants said, Nay, my lord the king, but Elisha, the prophet, that is in Israel (who is in Israel), showeth to the king of Israel all things, whatever things thou speakest in thy closet.

¹³ And the king said to them, Go ye, and see, where he is, that I send, and take him. And they told to him, and said, Lo! he dwelleth in Dothan.

¹⁴ And the king sent thither horses, and chariots, and the strength of his host; which, when they had come by night, compassed the city. (And the king sent there horses, and chariots, and the strong force of his army; which, when they had come by night, encompassed, or surrounded, the city.)

¹⁵ Soothly the minister of the man of God rose early, and went out, and he saw an host in the compass of the city, and horses, and chariots (And the servant of the man of God rose up early, and went out, and he saw an army all around the city, with horses, and chariots). And he told to the man of God, and said, Alas! alas! alas! my lord, what shall we do?

¹⁶ And he answered, Do not thou dread (Do not thou fear); for more be with us than with them.

¹⁷ And when Elisha had prayed, he said, Lord, open thou the eyes of this young man, that he (may) see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And, lo! the hill (was) full of horses, and of chariots of fire, in the compass of Elisha (all around Elisha).

¹⁸ And the enemies came down to him; but Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, I beseech thee, smite this folk with blindness (I beseech thee, strike these people with blindness). And the Lord smote them, (so) that they saw not, by the word of Elisha.

¹⁹ Forsooth Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither this is the city; follow ye me, and I shall show you the man, whom ye seek. And he led them into Samaria.

²⁰ And when they had entered into Samaria, Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, (so) that they (can) see now. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw, that they were in the midst of Samaria.

²¹ And the king of Israel, when he had seen them, said to Elisha, My father, whether I shall smite them? (My father, shall I strike them down?)

²² And he said, Thou shalt not smite them, for thou hast not taken them by thy sword and bow, that thou smite them; but set thou bread and water before them, that they eat and drink, and go to their lord again. (And he said, Thou shalt not strike them down, for thou hast not taken them with thy sword and bow, so that thou may strike them down; but put thou bread and water before them, so that they can eat and drink, and then let them go back to their lord again.)

²³ And much preparing of meats was set forth to them; and they ate, and drank. And the king let go them, and they went to their lord; and [the] thieves of Syria came no more into the land of Israel (And then the king let them go, and they went back to their lord; and after that, the thieves of Syria no longer came into the land of Israel).

²⁴ Forsooth it was done after these things, Benhadad, king of Syria, gathered all his host (called up all his army), and went up, and besieged Samaria.

²⁵ And great hunger was made in Samaria; and so long it was besieged (and it was besieged for so long), till [that] the head of an ass were sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a measure called [a] cab, (out) of the craw of culvers^[a], was sold for five pieces of silver.

²⁶ And when the king of Israel passed by the wall of the city, a woman cried to him, and said, My lord the king, save thou me.

²⁷ Which said (Who said), Nay, the Lord save thee; whereof may I save thee? (out) of [the] cornfloor, either (out) of [the] presser?

²⁸ And the king said to her, What wilt thou that I do to thee? (What wilt thou that I do for thee?) And she answered, This woman said to me, Give thy son, that we eat him today, and we shall eat my son tomorrow.

²⁹ Therefore we seethed my son, and ate him. And I said to her in the tother day, Give thy son, that we eat him; and she hid her son. (And so we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her the next day, Give thy son to us now, so that we can eat him; but she hid her son.)

³⁰ And when the king had heard this, he rent his clothes, and passed by the wall; and all the people saw the hair-shirt, with which the king was clothed at the flesh within; (And when the king had heard this, he tore his clothes, and passed forth by the wall; and all the people saw the hair-shirt, or the sackcloth, with which the king was clothed upon his flesh;)

³¹ And the king said, God do to me these things, and add these things too, if the head of Elisha, the son of Shaphat, shall stand on him today (shall remain on him this day).

³² Soothly Elisha sat in his house, and (the) eld men sat with him; then the king before-sent a man to Elisha, and before that that messenger came, Elisha said to the eld men, Whether ye know, that the son of (a) man-queller [hath] sent hither, that mine head be girded off? Therefore see ye, when the messenger cometh, shut ye the door, and suffer ye not him to enter; for lo! the sound of the feet of his lord is behind him. (And Elisha sat in his house, and the old men, or the elders, sat with him; then the king sent out a man from before himself to Elisha, but before that the messenger came, Elisha said to the old men, or the elders, Do ye not know, that this son of a man-killer hath sent a man here, to gird off my head? And so see ye, when the messenger cometh, that ye shut the door, and do not allow him to enter; for lo! the sound of the feet of his lord is behind him.)

³³ And yet while he spake to them, the messenger that came to him appeared; and (then also) the king (who) said, Lo! so great evil is of the Lord; soothly what more shall I abide of the Lord? (And yet while he spoke to them, the messenger who came to him appeared; and then also the king, who said, Lo! this great evil is from the Lord; how more longer shall I have to wait for the Lord?)

3 A faithful word [I shall say]. If any man desireth a bishopric [If any man desire a bishopric], he desireth a good work.

² Therefore it behooveth a bishop to be without reproof [Therefore it behooveth a bishop to be irreprehensible, or without reproof], the husband of one wife, sober, prudent, chaste, virtuous, holding hospitality, a teacher;

³ not given much to wine, not a smiter, but temperate, not full of chiding, not covetous, [not given much to wine, not smiter, but temperate, or patient, not litigious, or full of strife, or chiding, not covetous,]

⁴ well-ruling his house, and have sons subject with all chastity [having sons subject with all chastity];

⁵ for if any man know not how to govern his house, how shall he have diligence of the church of God [how shall he have diligence, or keeping, of the church of God]?

⁶ not new converted to the faith, lest he be borne up into pride, and fall into [the] doom of the devil.

⁷ For it behooveth him to have also good witnessing of them that be withoutforth, that he fall not into reproof, and into the snare of the devil.

⁸ Also it behooveth deacons to be chaste, not double-tongued, not given much to wine [not given to much wine], not following foul winning;

⁹ that have the mystery of faith in clean conscience. [having the mystery of faith in clean conscience.]

¹⁰ But be they proved first, and minister they so, having no crime. [And forsooth be they proved first, that they minister so, having no crime, or great sin.]

¹¹ Also it behooveth women to be chaste, not backbiting, sober, faithful in all things.

¹² Deacons be [they] husbands of one wife; which govern well their sons and their houses.

¹³ For they that [shall] minister well, shall get a good degree to themselves, and much trust in the faith, that is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ Son Timothy, I write to thee these things, hoping that I shall come soon to thee [hoping me to come soon to thee];

¹⁵ but if I tarry, that thou knowest, how it behooveth thee to live in the house of God, that is the church of living God, a pillar and firmness of truth.

¹⁶ And openly it is a great sacrament of piety, that thing that was showed in flesh, it is justified in Spirit [And openly it is a great sacrament of piety, that that is showed in flesh, is justified in Spirit], it appeared to angels, it is preached to heathen men, it is believed in the world, it is taken up into glory.

10 In the third year of the realm of Cyrus, king of Persians, a word was showed to Daniel, Belteshazzar by name; and a true word, and (of) great strength, and he understood the word; for why understanding is needful in vision. (In the third year of the reign of Cyrus, the king of Persia, a word was showed to Daniel, who was also called Belteshazzar; and it was a true word, and of great strength, and he understood the word; because understanding is needed to interpret a vision.)

² In those days I, Daniel, mourned by the days of three weeks; (In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks;)

³ I ate not desirable bread (I did not eat tasty bread), and flesh, and wine entered not into my mouth, but neither I was anointed with ointment, till the days of three weeks were [ful]filled.

⁴ Forsooth in the four and twentieth day of the first month, I was beside the great flood, which is Tigris. (And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River.)

⁵ And I raised mine eyes, and I saw, and lo! one man was clothed with linen clothes, and his reins were girded with shining gold; (And I raised up my eyes, and I saw, and lo! a man who was clothed in linen clothes, and he had on his waist a belt made of the gold of Uphaz, or of Ophir;)

⁶ and his body was as chrysolyte, and his face was as the likeness of lightning, and his eyes were as a burning lamp, and his arms and those things that were beneath till to the feet were as the likeness of brass being white, and the voice of his words was as the voice of (a) multitude. (and his body was like chrysolyte, and his face was like the appearance of lightning, and his eyes were like a burning lamp, and his arms and those things that were beneath unto the feet were like the appearance of shining, or polished, bronze, and his voice was like the voice of a multitude.)

⁷ Forsooth I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; certainly the men that were with me saw not, but full great fearedfulness fell in on them, and they fled into an hid place. (And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; certainly the men who were with me did not see it, but a very great fearfulness fell in upon them, and they fled to a place where they could hid.)

⁸ But I was left alone, and I saw this great vision, and strength dwelled not in me; but also my likeness was changed in me, and I was stark (and I was made stiff, or rigid, like in a trance), and I had not in me anything of strengths.

⁹ And I heard the voice of his words, and I heard, and lay astonied on my face, and my face cleaved to the earth. (And I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened, I fell down on my face astonished, with my face to the ground.)

¹⁰ And lo! an hand touched me, and raised me on my knees, and on the toes of my feet [and upon the fingers of mine hands].

¹¹ And he said to me, Thou, Daniel, a man of desires, understand the words which I speak to thee, and stand in thy degree; for now I am sent to thee. And when he had said this word to me, I stood quaking. (And he said to me, O Daniel, a man much beloved, understand the words which I speak to thee, and stand upright; for I am now sent to thee. And when he had said these words to me, I stood up, trembling and shaking.)

¹² And he said to me, Daniel, do not thou dread, for from the first day in which thou settedest thine heart to understand, that thou shouldest torment thee in the sight of thy God, thy words were heard, and I came for thy words. (And he said to me, Daniel, do not thou fear, for from the first day when thou settest thy heart to understand, and that thou didest torment, or humble, thyself before thy God, thy prayers were heard, and I came because of thy prayers/and I came in answer to thy prayers.)

¹³ Forsooth the prince of the realm of Persians against-stood me one and twenty days, and lo! Michael, one of the first princes, came into mine help, and I dwelled still there beside the king of Persians. (And the angel prince of the kingdom of Persia stood against me for twenty-one days, and lo! Michael, one of the chief angels/one of the chief princes, came to my help, because I still lived there with the prince of Persia.)

¹⁴ Forsooth I am come to teach thee, what things shall come to thy people in the last days; for yet the vision is delayed into days (for this vision is for those days).

¹⁵ And when he spake to me by such words, I casted down my cheer to the earth, and was still. (And when he spoke to me with such words, I cast down my face to the ground, and was silent.)

¹⁶ And lo! as the likeness of son of a man touched my lips; and I opened my mouth, and spake, and said to him that stood before me, My Lord, in thy sight my joints be unknit, and nothing of strengths dwelled in me. (And lo! one like the son of a man touched my lips; and I opened my mouth, and spoke, and said to him who stood before me, My lord, this vision hath caused my joints to be unknit, and no strength remaineth in me.)

¹⁷ And how shall the servant of my Lord be able to speak with my Lord? nothing of strengths dwelled in me, but also my breath is closed betwixt, [or stopped]. (And how shall my lord’s servant be able to speak with my lord? for no strength remaineth in me, and also my breath is taken away.)

¹⁸ Therefore again (the one) as the sight of a man touched me, and comforted me, (And so again the one with the appearance of a man touched me, and strengthened me,)

¹⁹ and said, Man of desires, do not thou dread; peace be to thee, be thou comforted, and be thou strong. And when he spake with me, I waxed strong, and said, My Lord, speak thou, for thou hast comforted me. (and said, O man much beloved, do not thou fear; peace be to thee, be thou strengthened, and be thou strong. And when he spoke with me, I grew strong, and said, My lord, speak thou, for thou hast strengthened me.)

²⁰ And he said, Whether thou knowest not, why I came to thee? And now I shall turn again, to fight against the prince of Persians. For when I went out, the prince of Greeks appeared coming. (And he said, Knowest thou not, why I came to thee? And now I must return, to fight against the angel of Persia. And after I have gone out, the angel of Greece shall soon appear/And now I must return, to fight against the prince of Persia. And after I have gone out, the prince of Greece shall soon appear.)

²¹ Nevertheless I shall tell to thee that, that is expressed in the scripture of truth; and none is mine helper in all these things, no but Michael, your prince. (Nevertheless I shall tell thee what is written in The Book of Truth; and no one is my helper in all of these things, except Michael, your angel/your prince.)

119 Alleluia. [Aleph]. Blessed be men without wem in the way; that go in the law of the Lord. (Alleluia. Happy be they whose lives be without blemish, or without fault; who walk in the Law of the Lord.)

² Blessed be they, that seek his witnessings; and seek him in all the heart. (Happy be they who obey his teachings, or his commands; and who seek him, or obey him, with all their heart.)

³ For they that work wickedness; went not in his ways. (For they who work wickedness, went not in his ways.)

⁴ Thou hast commanded; that thy behests be kept greatly. (Thou hast commanded, that thy precepts, or thy laws, be diligently kept.)

⁵ I would that my ways were (ad)dressed; to keep thy justifyings. (I desire that my ways be directed; so that I can obey thy statutes.)

⁶ Then I shall not be shamed; when I shall behold perfectly in(to) all thy behests. (Then I shall not be shamed, if I fix my eyes on thy commandments.)

⁷ I shall acknowledge to thee in the (ad)dressing of mine heart; in that that I learned the dooms of thy rightfulnesses. (I shall praise thee with my heart properly directed, when I have learned thy righteous judgements./I shall praise thee with a pure heart, when I have learned thy just decrees.)

⁸ I shall keep thy justifyings; forsake thou not me on each side. (I shall obey thy statutes; do not thou abandon me on any side/never desert thou me.)

⁹ [Beth]. In what thing amendeth a young waxing man his way? in keeping thy words. (How may a young man correct his way? by obeying thy words, or thy commands.)

¹⁰ In all mine heart I sought thee; put thou me not away from thy behests. (With all my heart I have sought thee; let me not stray from thy commandments.)

¹¹ In mine heart I hid thy speeches; that I do not sin against thee. (I hid thy words in my heart; so that I will not sin against thee.)

¹² Lord, thou art blessed; teach thou me thy justifyings. (Lord, blessed art thou; teach thou me thy statutes.)

¹³ In my lips I have pronounced; all the dooms of thy mouth. (With my lips I have declared, all the judgements, or the laws, from thy mouth.)

¹⁴ I delighted in the way of thy witnessings; (as much) as in all riches. (I delighted in the way of thy teachings, or thy commands; as much as in great riches.)

¹⁵ I shall be exercised, either busily occupied, in thy behests; and I shall behold thy ways. (I shall think about thy precepts; and I shall study thy ways.)

¹⁶ I shall bethink in thy justifyings; I shall not forget thy words. (I shall delight myself in thy statutes; I shall not forget thy words, or thy commands.)

¹⁷ [Gimel]. Yield to thy servant; quicken thou me, and I shall keep thy words. (Grant this to thy servant; that thou let me live, and that I obey thy commands.)

¹⁸ Lighten thou mine eyes; and I shall behold the marvels of thy law. (Open thou my eyes; and I shall see the marvels, or the wonders, that come forth from thy Law.)

¹⁹ I am a comeling in earth; hide thou not thy behests from me. (I am a newcomer, or a stranger, here on earth; hide thou not thy commandments from me.)

²⁰ My soul coveted to desire thy justifyings; in all time. (My soul desireth to know thy judgements; at all times.)

²¹ Thou blamedest the proud; they be cursed, that bow away from thy behests. (Thou hast rebuked the proud; cursed be they who turn away from thy commandments.)

²² Do thou away from me shame and despising; for I sought thy witnessings. (Do thou away from me all shame and despising; for I have kept thy commands/for I have obeyed thy laws/for I have followed thy teachings.)

²³ For why princes sat, and spake against me; but thy servant was exercised in thy justifyings. (For the rulers sit, and speak against me; but thy servant studied, and thought about, thy statutes/but thy servant shall study, and shall think about, thy statutes.)

²⁴ For why and thy witnessings is my thinking; and my counsel is thy justifyings. (For thy teachings, or thy commands, be my delight; and they be my counsellors.)