M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Building the Temple
6 Solomon began to build the temple for the Lord in the four hundred eightieth year(A) after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month.[a](B) 2 The temple that King Solomon built for the Lord(C) was ninety feet[b] long, thirty feet[c] wide, and forty-five feet[d] high.(D) 3 The portico in front of the temple sanctuary was thirty feet long extending across the temple’s width, and fifteen feet deep[e] in front of the temple.(E) 4 He also made windows with beveled frames[f] for the temple.(F)
5 He then built a chambered structure[g] along the temple wall, encircling the walls of the temple, that is, the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary.(G) And he made side chambers[h] all around.(H) 6 The lowest chamber was 7½ feet[i] wide, the middle was 9 feet[j] wide, and the third was 10½ feet[k] wide. He also provided offset ledges for the temple all around the outside so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls. 7 The temple’s construction used finished stones cut at the quarry so that no hammer, chisel, or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.(I)
8 The door for the lowest[l] side chamber was on the right side of the temple. They[m] went up a stairway[n] to the middle chamber, and from the middle to the third. 9 When he finished building the temple,(J) he paneled it with boards and planks of cedar. 10 He built the chambers along the entire temple, joined to the temple with cedar beams;(K) each story was 7½ feet high.
11 The word of the Lord came to Solomon:(L) 12 “As for this temple you are building—if you walk in my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep all my commands by walking in them,(M) I will fulfill my promise to you, which I made to your father David.(N) 13 I will dwell among the Israelites and not abandon my people Israel.”(O)
14 When Solomon finished building the temple,[o](P) 15 he paneled the interior temple walls with cedar boards; from the temple floor to the surface of the ceiling he overlaid the interior with wood. He also overlaid the floor with cypress boards.(Q) 16 Then he lined thirty feet of the rear of the temple with cedar boards from the floor to the surface of the ceiling,[p] and he built the interior as an inner sanctuary, the most holy place.(R) 17 The temple, that is, the sanctuary in front of the most holy place,[q] was sixty feet[r] long. 18 The cedar paneling inside the temple was carved with ornamental gourds(S) and flower blossoms. Everything was cedar;(T) not a stone could be seen.
19 He prepared the inner sanctuary(U) inside the temple to put the ark of the Lord’s covenant(V) there. 20 The interior of the sanctuary was thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty feet high; he overlaid it with pure gold.(W) He also overlaid the cedar altar. 21 Next, Solomon overlaid the interior of the temple with pure gold, and he hung[s] gold chains(X) across the front of the inner sanctuary(Y) and overlaid it with gold. 22 So he added the gold overlay to the entire temple until everything was completely finished, including the entire altar(Z) that belongs to the inner sanctuary.
23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim(AA) 15 feet[t] high out of olive wood. 24 One wing of the first cherub was 7½ feet long, and the other wing was 7½ feet long. The wingspan was 15 feet from tip to tip. 25 The second cherub also was 15 feet; both cherubim had the same size and shape. 26 The first cherub’s height was 15 feet and so was the second cherub’s. 27 Then he put the cherubim inside the inner temple. Since their wings were spread out, the first one’s wing touched one wall while the second cherub’s wing touched the other[u] wall, and in the middle of the temple their wings were touching wing to wing.(AB) 28 He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.
29 He carved all the surrounding temple walls with carved engravings—cherubim,(AC) palm trees, and flower blossoms—in the inner and outer sanctuaries. 30 He overlaid the temple floor with gold in both the inner and the outer sanctuaries.
31 For the entrance of the inner sanctuary, he made olive wood doors.(AD) The pillars of the doorposts were five-sided.[v] 32 The two doors were made of olive wood. He carved cherubim, palm trees, and flower blossoms on them and overlaid them with gold, hammering gold over the cherubim and palm trees. 33 In the same way, he made four-sided[w] olive wood doorposts for the sanctuary entrance. 34 The two doors(AE) were made of cypress wood; the first door had two folding sides, and the second door had two folding panels. 35 He carved cherubim, palm trees, and flower blossoms on them and overlaid them with gold applied evenly over the carving. 36 He built the inner courtyard(AF) with three rows of dressed stone(AG) and a row of trimmed cedar beams.
37 The foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid in Solomon’s fourth year in the month of Ziv. 38 In his eleventh year in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month,[x] the temple was completed in every detail and according to every specification.(AH) So he built it in seven years.(AI)
Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles
3 For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner(A) of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. 3 The mystery was made known to me by revelation,(B) as I have briefly written above. 4 By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.(C) 5 This was not made known to people[a] in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets(D) by the Spirit: 6 The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise(E) in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.(F)
8 This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches(G) of Christ, 9 and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created(H) all things. 10 This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom(I) may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.(J) 11 This is according to his eternal purpose(K) accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him we have boldness and confident access(L) through faith in him.[b] 13 So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged(M) over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.(N)
Prayer for Spiritual Power
14 For this reason I kneel(O) before the Father[c] 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches(P) of his glory,(Q) to be strengthened with power(R) in your inner being(S) through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,(T) 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able(U) to do above and beyond all that we ask or think(V) according to the power(W) that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.(X)
Restoration of Israel’s Mountains
36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.(A) 2 This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said about you, “Aha!(B) The ancient heights(C) have become our possession,”’ 3 therefore, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Because they have made you desolate and have trampled you from every side, so that you became a possession for the rest of the nations and an object of people’s gossip and slander,(D) 4 therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. This is what the Lord God says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and abandoned cities, which have become plunder(E) and a mockery to the rest of the nations all around.
5 “‘This is what the Lord God says: Certainly in my burning zeal I speak against the rest of the nations and all of Edom,(F) who took[a] my land as their own possession with wholehearted rejoicing and utter contempt(G) so that its pastureland became[b] plunder. 6 Therefore, prophesy concerning Israel’s land, and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: This is what the Lord God says: Look, I speak in my burning zeal(H) because you have endured the insults of the nations. 7 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I swear[c] that the nations all around you will endure their own insults.(I)
8 “‘You, mountains of Israel, will produce your branches(J) and bear your fruit for my people Israel, since their arrival is near. 9 Look! I am on your side; I will turn toward you,(K) and you will be tilled and sown. 10 I will fill you with people, with the whole house of Israel in its entirety.(L) The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will fill you with people and animals,(M) and they will increase and be fruitful. I will make you inhabited as you once were and make you better off than you were before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(N) 12 I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk on you; they will possess you,(O) and you will be their inheritance. You will no longer deprive them of their children.
13 “‘This is what the Lord God says: Because some are saying to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of children,”(P) 14 therefore, you will no longer devour people and deprive your nation of children.[d] This is the declaration of the Lord God. 15 I will no longer allow the insults of the nations to be heard against you, and you will not have to endure the reproach of the peoples anymore;(Q) you will no longer cause your nation to stumble.[e] This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
Restoration of Israel’s People
16 The word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, while the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it with their conduct and actions.(R) Their behavior before me was like menstrual impurity.(S) 18 So I poured out my wrath(T) on them because of the blood they had shed on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered among the countries.(U) I judged them according to their conduct and actions.(V) 20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name,(W) because it was said about them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they had to leave his land in exile.’ 21 Then I had concern for my holy name,(X) which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.
22 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act,(Y) house of Israel, but for my holy name,(Z) which you profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will honor the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations—the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord—this is the declaration of the Lord God—when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.(AA)
24 “‘For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.(AB) 25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.(AC) I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.(AD) 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;(AE) I will remove your heart of stone[f] and give you a heart of flesh.(AF) 27 I will place my Spirit within you(AG) and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.(AH) 28 You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors;(AI) you will be my people, and I will be your God.(AJ) 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine on you.(AK) 30 I will also make the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer experience reproach among the nations on account of famine.
31 “‘You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good,(AL) and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and detestable practices.(AM) 32 It is not for your sake that I will act(AN)—this is the declaration of the Lord God—let this be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel!
33 “‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.(AO) 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by. 35 They will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden.(AP) The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and demolished are now fortified and inhabited.” 36 Then the nations that remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt what was demolished and have replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken and I will do it.(AQ)
37 “‘This is what the Lord God says: I will respond to the house of Israel and do this for them:(AR) I will multiply them in number like a flock.[g] 38 So the ruined cities will be filled with a flock of people, just as Jerusalem(AS) is filled with a flock of sheep for sacrifice[h] during its appointed festivals. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Psalm 86
Lament and Petition
A prayer of David.
1 Listen, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.(A)
2 Protect my life, for I am faithful.(B)
You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.(C)
3 Be gracious to me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.(D)
4 Bring joy to your servant’s life,
because I appeal to you, Lord.(E)
5 For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive,(F)
abounding in faithful love to all who call on you.(G)
6 Lord, hear my prayer;
listen to my cries for mercy.(H)
7 I call on you in the day of my distress,
for you will answer me.(I)
8 Lord, there is no one like you among the gods,
and there are no works like yours.(J)
9 All the nations you have made
will come and bow down before you, Lord,
and will honor your name.(K)
10 For you are great and perform wonders;
you alone are God.(L)
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
and I will live by your truth.
Give me an undivided mind to fear your name.(M)
12 I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God,
and will honor your name forever.(N)
13 For your faithful love for me is great,
and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol.(O)
14 God, arrogant people have attacked me;
a gang of ruthless men intends to kill me.
They do not let you guide them.[a](P)
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth.(Q)
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me.
Give your strength to your servant;
save the son of your female servant.(R)
17 Show me a sign of your goodness;
my enemies will see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped and comforted me.(S)
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