M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
6 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 2 “Suppose someone sins by not being faithful to me. They do it by tricking their neighbors. They trick them in connection with something their neighbors have placed in their care. They steal from their neighbors. Or they cheat them. 3 Or they find something their neighbors have lost and then tell a lie about it. Or they go to court. They promise to tell the truth. But instead they tell a lie when they are a witness about it. Or they lie when they are witnesses about any other sin like those sins. 4 When they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return what they stole. They must give back what they took by cheating their neighbors. They must return what their neighbors placed in their care. They must return the lost property they found. 5 They must return anything they told a lie about when they were witnesses in court. They must pay back everything in full. They must add a fifth of its value to it. They must give all of it to the owner on the day they bring their guilt offering. 6 He must bring their guilt offering to the priest to pay for their sin. It is an offering to me. They must bring a ram from the flock. It must not have any flaws. It must be worth the required amount of money. 7 The priest will sacrifice the ram to pay for their sin. He will do it in my sight. And they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.”
More Rules for Burnt Offerings
8 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 9 “Give Aaron and the priests in his family line a command. Tell them, ‘Here are some more rules for burnt offerings. The burnt offering must remain on the altar through the whole night. The fire on the altar must be kept burning until morning. 10 The priest must put on his linen clothes. He must put on linen underwear next to his body. He must remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has burned up on the altar. He must place them beside the altar. 11 Then he must take his clothes off and put others on. He must carry the ashes outside the camp to a “clean” place. 12 The fire on the altar must be kept burning. It must not go out. Every morning the priest must add more wood to the fire. He must place the burnt offering on the fire. He must burn the fat of the friendship offerings on it. 13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar all the time. It must not go out.
More Rules for Grain Offerings
14 “ ‘Here are some more rules for grain offerings. The priests in Aaron’s family line must bring the grain offering to the Lord in front of the altar. 15 The priest must take a handful of the finest flour and olive oil. He must add to it all the incense on the grain offering. He must burn that part on the altar. It will remind him that all good things come from the Lord. Its smell pleases the Lord. 16 Aaron and the priests in his family line will eat the rest of it. But they must eat it without yeast in the holy area. They must eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. 17 It must not be baked with yeast added to it. The Lord has given it to the priests as their share of the food offerings presented to him. It is very holy, just like the sin offering and the guilt offering. 18 Any priests in Aaron’s family line can eat it. It is their share of the food offerings presented to the Lord. It is their share for all time to come. Anyone who touches these offerings will become holy.’ ”
19 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 20 “On the day each high priest in Aaron’s family line is anointed, he must bring an offering to me. He must bring three and a half pounds of the finest flour as a regular grain offering. He must bring half of it in the morning. He must bring the other half in the evening. 21 Mix it with olive oil. Cook it on a metal plate. Break it in pieces. Bring it as a grain offering. Its smell pleases the Lord. 22 The son of Aaron who will become the next high priest after him will prepare the grain offering. It is the share that must be given to the Lord for all time to come. It must be completely burned up. 23 Every grain offering a high priest offers must be completely burned up. It must not be eaten.”
More Rules for Sin Offerings
24 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 25 “Speak to Aaron and the priests in his family line. Tell them, ‘Here are some more rules for sin offerings. You must kill the animal for the sin offering in the sight of the Lord. Kill it in the place where the burnt offering is killed. It is very holy. 26 The priest who offers it will eat it. He must eat it in the holy area. He must eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. 27 Anyone who touches any of its meat will become holy. Suppose some of the blood is spilled on someone’s clothes. Then you must wash them in the holy area. 28 Break the clay pot the meat is cooked in. But suppose you cook it in a bronze pot. Then you must scrub the pot and rinse it with water. 29 Any male in a priest’s family may eat the meat. It is very holy. 30 But suppose some of the blood of a sin offering is brought into the tent of meeting. And that blood is brought into the Holy Room to pay for sin. Then that sin offering must not be eaten. It must be burned up.
For the director of music. A psalm of David to be played on flutes.
5 Lord, listen to my words.
Pay attention when I mourn.
2 My King and my God,
hear me when I cry for help.
I pray to you.
3 Lord, in the morning you hear my voice.
In the morning I pray to you.
I wait for you in hope.
4 For you, God, aren’t happy with anything that is evil.
Those who do what is wrong can’t live where you are.
5 Those who are proud can’t stand in front of you.
You hate everyone who does what is evil.
6 You destroy those who tell lies.
Lord, you hate murderers and those who cheat others.
7 Because of your great love
I can come into your house.
With deep respect I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8 Lord, I have many enemies.
Lead me in your right path.
Make your way smooth and straight for me.
9 Not a word from their mouths can be trusted.
Their hearts are filled with a desire to hurt others.
Their throats are like open graves.
With their tongues they tell lies.
10 God, show that they are guilty.
Let their evil plans bring them down.
Send them away because of their many sins.
They have refused to obey you.
11 But let all those who go to you for safety be glad.
Let them always sing for joy.
Spread your cover over them and keep them safe.
Then those who love you will be glad because of you.
12 Surely, Lord, you bless those who do what is right.
Like a shield, your loving care keeps them safe.
For the director of music. According to sheminith. A psalm of David to be played on stringed instruments.
6 Lord, don’t correct me when you are angry.
Don’t punish me when you are very angry.
2 Lord, have mercy on me. I’m so weak.
Lord, heal me. My body is full of pain.
3 My soul is very troubled.
Lord, how long will it be until you save me?
4 Lord, turn to me and help me.
Save me. Your love never fails.
5 Dead people can’t call out your name.
How can they praise you when they are in the grave?
6 My groaning has worn me out.
All night long my tears flood my bed.
My bed is wet because of my crying.
7 I’m so sad I can’t see very well.
My eyesight gets worse because of all my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you who do evil.
The Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for his mercy.
The Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be covered with shame and trouble.
They will turn back in shame. It will happen suddenly.
21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is like a stream of water.
The Lord directs it toward all those who please him.
2 A person might think their own ways are right.
But the Lord knows what they are thinking.
3 Do what is right and fair.
The Lord accepts that more than sacrifices.
4 The proud eyes and hearts of sinful people are like a field not plowed.
Those things produce nothing good.
5 The plans of people who work hard succeed.
You can be just as sure that those in a hurry will become poor.
6 A fortune made by people who tell lies
amounts to nothing and leads to death.
7 The harmful things that evil people do will drag them away.
They refuse to do what is right.
8 The path of those who are guilty is crooked.
But the conduct of those who are not guilty is honest.
9 It is better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.
10 Sinful people long to do evil.
They don’t show their neighbors any mercy.
11 When you punish someone who makes fun of others, childish people get wise.
By paying attention to wise people, the childish get knowledge.
12 The Blameless One knows where sinners live.
And he destroys them.
13 Whoever refuses to listen to the cries of poor people
will also cry out and not be answered.
14 A secret gift calms down anger.
A hidden favor softens great anger.
15 When you do what is fair, you make godly people glad.
But you terrify those who do what is evil.
16 Whoever leaves the path of understanding
ends up with those who are dead.
17 Anyone who loves pleasure will become poor.
Anyone who loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.
18 Evil people become the payment for setting godly people free.
Those who aren’t faithful are the payment for honest people.
19 It is better to live in a desert
than to live with a nagging wife who loves to argue.
20 Wise people store up the best food and olive oil.
But foolish people eat up everything they have.
21 Anyone who wants to be godly and loving
finds life, success and honor.
22 A wise person can attack a strong city.
They can pull down the place of safety its people trust in.
23 Those who are careful about what they say
keep themselves out of trouble.
24 A proud person is called a mocker.
He thinks much too highly of himself.
25 Some people will die while they are still hungry.
That’s because their hands refuse to work.
26 All day long they hunger for more.
But godly people give without holding back.
27 God hates sacrifices that are brought by evil people.
He hates it even more when they bring them for the wrong reason.
28 Witnesses who aren’t honest will die.
But anyone who listens carefully will be a successful witness.
29 Sinful people try to look as if they were bold.
But honest people think about how they live.
30 No wisdom, wise saying or plan
can succeed against the Lord.
31 You can prepare a horse for the day of battle.
But the power to win comes from the Lord.
4 Masters, give your slaves what is right and fair. Do it because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
More Teachings
2 Give a lot of time and effort to prayer. Always be watchful and thankful. 3 Pray for us too. Pray that God will give us an opportunity to preach our message. Then we can preach the mystery of Christ. Because I preached it, I am being held by chains. 4 Pray that I will preach it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let the words you speak always be full of grace. Learn how to make your words what people want to hear. Then you will know how to answer everyone.
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother. He is a faithful worker. He serves the Lord together with us. 8 I am sending him to you for one reason. I want you to know what is happening here. I want him to encourage you and make your hearts strong. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother. He is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
10 Aristarchus is in prison with me. He sends you his greetings. So does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. You have been given directions about him. If he comes to you, welcome him.
11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. They are the only Jews who have worked together with me for God’s kingdom. They have been a comfort to me.
12 Epaphras sends greetings. He is one of you. He serves Christ Jesus. He is always praying hard for you. He prays that you will hold on tightly to all that God has in mind for us. He prays that you will keep growing in your knowledge of what God wants. He also prays that you will be completely sure about it. 13 I am happy to tell you that he is working very hard for you. He is also working hard for everyone in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, sends greetings. So does Demas.
15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea. Also give my greetings to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.
16 After this letter has been read to you, send it on. Be sure that it is also read to the church in Laodicea. And be sure that you read the letter from Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus, “Be sure that you complete the work the Lord gave you to do.”
18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember that I am being held by chains. May grace be with you.
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