M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Persons with skin disease
14 The Lord said to Moses, 2 This will be the Instruction for anyone with skin disease[a] at the time of purification: When it has been reported to the priest, 3 he will go outside the camp. If the priest sees that the person afflicted with skin disease has been healed of the infection, 4 the priest will order that two birds—wild[b] and clean—and cedarwood, crimson yarn, and hyssop be brought for the person who needs purification. 5 The priest will order that one bird be slaughtered over fresh water in a pottery jar. 6 He will then take the other wild bird, along with the cedarwood, crimson yarn, and hyssop, and will dip all of this into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water. 7 He will sprinkle the person who needs purification from skin disease seven times and declare that they are clean. Then the priest will release the wild bird into the countryside. 8 The person who needs purification will then wash their clothes, shave off all of their hair, and bathe in water; at that point, they will be clean. After that, they can return to the camp, but they must live outside their tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day, the person must shave off all their hair again: head, beard, and eyebrows—everything. They must wash their clothes and bathe in water; then they will be clean again.
10 On the eighth day, that person must take two flawless male sheep, one flawless one-year-old ewe, a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah[c] of choice flour mixed with oil, and one log[d] of oil. 11 The priest performing the purification will place these and the person needing purification before the Lord at the meeting tent’s entrance.
12 The priest will take one of the male sheep and present it as a compensation offering, along with the log of oil, and will lift them as an uplifted offering before the Lord. 13 The priest will slaughter the sheep at the same place where the purification offering and the entirely burned offering are slaughtered: in the holy area. The compensation offering, like the purification offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14 The priest will take some of the blood from the compensation offering and will put it on the right earlobe, the right thumb, and the right big toe of the person needing purification. 15 Then the priest will take some of the log of oil and pour it into his left palm. 16 The priest will then dip his right finger into the oil and sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the Lord. 17 Then the priest will put some of the oil that is left in his hand on the right earlobe, the right thumb, and the right big toe of the person needing purification—this oil will be placed on top of the blood of the compensation offering. 18 The priest will put whatever is left of the oil in his hand on the head of the person needing purification. In this way, the priest will make reconciliation for the person before the Lord.
19 The priest will then perform the purification offering and make reconciliation for the person needing purification from their uncleanness. After that, the entirely burned offering will be slaughtered. 20 The priest will offer up the entirely burned offering and the grain offering on the altar. In this way, the priest will make reconciliation for the person, and they will be clean again.
21 Now if the person is poor and cannot afford these things, they can bring one male sheep as a compensation offering, to be lifted up in order to make reconciliation for them; a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil; a log of oil; 22 and two turtledoves or two pigeons, whatever they can afford—one as a purification offering and the other as an entirely burned offering. 23 On the eighth day, they must bring these items for their purification to the priest at the meeting tent’s entrance before the Lord.
24 The priest will take the male sheep for the compensation offering and the log of oil, and will lift them as an uplifted offering before the Lord. 25 The priest will slaughter the sheep for the compensation offering and will take some of its blood and put it on the right earlobe, the right thumb, and the right big toe of the person needing purification. 26 The priest will pour some of the oil into his left palm. 27 Next, the priest will sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the Lord using his right finger. 28 The priest will then put some of the oil that is in his hand on the right earlobe, the right thumb, and the right big toe of the person needing purification—on top of the same places as the blood of the compensation offering. 29 The priest will put whatever is left of the oil in his hand on the head of the person needing purification, to make reconciliation for them before the Lord.
30 The person will then offer one of the turtledoves or pigeons, whatever they can afford— 31 one as a purification offering and the other as an entirely burned offering along with the grain offering.[e] In this way, the priest will make reconciliation before the Lord for the person needing purification.
32 This is the Instruction concerning those who have an infection of skin disease but who cannot afford the normal means of purification.
Houses with skin disease
33 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 34 When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving to you as a possession, and I put an infection of skin disease on a house in the land you possess, 35 the homeowner must come and tell the priest, “I think some sort of infection is in my house.” 36 The priest will order that the house be emptied before he comes to examine it so that nothing else in the house will become unclean. After that, the priest will come to examine the house. 37 If he examines the infection, and the infection in the walls of the house consists of greenish or reddish depressions, which appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall, 38 the priest will exit the house, go to the front door, and quarantine the house for seven days. 39 On the seventh day, the priest will return. If he finds that the infection has spread over the walls of the house, 40 the priest will order the stones in which the infection is found to be pulled out and discarded outside the city in an unclean area. 41 The inside of the house will then be scraped on all sides, and the plaster that has been scraped off must be dumped outside the city in an unclean area. 42 Then different stones will be used in place of the first ones, and new coating will be used to replaster the house.
43 If the infection breaks out again in the house after the stones have been pulled out and the house scraped and replastered, 44 the priest will return. If he finds that the infection has spread throughout the house, it is a case of infectious skin disease in the house; the house is unclean. 45 The house must be destroyed—its stones, wood, and all the plaster in the house. All of it must be taken outside the city to an unclean area. 46 Anyone who enters the house during the entire period when it is quarantined will be unclean until evening. 47 Anyone who lies down in the house must wash their clothes. Anyone who eats in the house must also wash their clothes.
48 But if the priest arrives and finds that the infection has not spread after the house was replastered, the priest will declare the house clean because the infection has been healed. 49 To cleanse the house, the priest will take two birds, cedarwood, crimson yarn, and hyssop. 50 He will slaughter one bird over fresh water in a pottery jar. 51 He will then take the cedarwood, hyssop, and crimson yarn, along with the wild[f] bird, and will dip all of this into the fresh water and into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered. He will then sprinkle the house seven times. 52 In this way, the priest will cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, the fresh water, the wild bird, the cedarwood, the hyssop, and the crimson yarn. 53 Then he will release the wild bird outside the city into the countryside. In this way, he will make reconciliation for the house, and it will be clean.
Conclusion concerning skin disease
54 This concludes the Instruction concerning every infection of skin disease: for scabies, 55 for skin disease on clothing or in houses, 56 and for swelling, scabs, or shiny spots, 57 in order to determine when it is unclean or clean. This concludes the Instruction concerning skin disease.
Psalm 17
A prayer of David.
17 Listen to what’s right, Lord;
pay attention to my cry!
Listen closely to my prayer;
it’s spoken by lips that don’t lie!
2 My justice comes from you;
let your eyes see what is right!
3 You have examined my heart,
testing me at night.
You’ve looked me over closely,
but haven’t found anything wrong.
My mouth doesn’t sin.
4 But these other people’s deeds?
I have avoided such violent ways
by the command from your lips.
5 My steps are set firmly on your paths;
my feet haven’t slipped.
6 I cry out to you because you answer me.
So tilt your ears toward me now—
listen to what I’m saying!
7 Manifest your faithful love in amazing ways
because you are the one
who saves those who take refuge in you,
saving them from their attackers
by your strong hand.
8 Watch me with the very pupil of your eye!
Hide me in the protection of your wings,
9 away from the wicked
who are out to get me,
away from my deadly enemies
who are all around me!
10 They have no pity;[a]
their mouths speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down—
suddenly, they surround me!
They make their plans to put me in the dirt.
12 They are like a lion eager to rip its prey;
they are like a strong young lion lying in wait.
13 Get up, Lord!
Confront them!
Bring them down!
Rescue my life from the wicked—
use your sword!
14 Rescue me from these people—
use your own hands, Lord!
Rescue me from these people
whose only possession is their fleeting life.[b]
But fill the stomachs of your cherished ones;
let their children be filled full
so that they have leftovers enough for their babies.
15 But me? I will see your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I will be filled full by seeing your image.
28 The wicked run away even though no one pursues them,
but the righteous are as confident as a lion.
2 When a land rebels, there are many leaders;
but a person with understanding brings order.
3 Poor people who oppress the needy
are rain that washes away food.
4 Those who abandon Instruction praise the wicked,
but those who follow Instruction battle them.
5 Evil people don’t understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
6 Better to be poor and walk in innocence
than to be on crooked paths and wealthy.
7 Intelligent children follow Instruction,
but those who befriend gluttons shame their parents.
8 Those who become rich through high interest rates
gather money for those who are generous to the poor.
9 Those who turn their ears from hearing Instruction—
even their prayers will be detested.
10 Whoever misleads those who do right onto an evil path
will fall into their own pit,
but the blameless will inherit good things.
11 Rich people think they are wise,
but an insightful poor person sees through them.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great respect,
but people hide when the wicked prosper.
13 Those who hide their sins won’t succeed,
but those who confess and give them up will receive mercy.
14 Happy are those who are continually fearful,
but those whose hearts are hard fall into trouble.
15 A wicked ruler over the poor
is like a growling lion or a prowling bear.
16 A prince without understanding is a cruel oppressor,
but one who hates unjust gain will live long.
17 If someone feels guilty about murder,
don’t hold them back from fleeing to the pit.
18 Those who walk in innocence will be saved,
but those who go on twisted paths will fall into the grave.
19 Those who work the land will have plenty to eat,
but those with worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 Reliable people will have abundant blessings,
but those with get-rich-quick schemes won’t go unpunished.
21 Those who show favoritism aren’t good;
people do wrong for a crust of bread.
22 The stingy try to get rich fast,
unaware that loss will come to them.
23 Those who correct someone will, in the end, find more favor
than those with flattering tongues.
24 Those who steal from their father and mother,
and say, “It’s not a crime,”
are friends of vandals.
25 Greedy people stir up conflict,
but those who trust the Lord become prosperous.
26 Those who trust in their own reasoning are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom will be kept safe.
27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who turn a blind eye will be greatly cursed.
28 When the wicked rise up, people hide,
but when they are destroyed, the righteous multiply.
Day of the Lord
2 Brothers and sisters, we have a request for you concerning our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming and when we are gathered together to be with him. 2 We don’t want you to be easily confused in your mind or upset if you hear that the day of the Lord is already here, whether you hear it through some spirit, a message, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. That day won’t come unless the rebellion comes first and the person who is lawless is revealed, who is headed for destruction. 4 He is the opponent of every so-called god or object of worship and promotes himself over them. So he sits in God’s temple, displaying himself to show that he is God. 5 You remember that I used to tell you these things while I was with you, don’t you? 6 Now you know what holds him back so that he can be revealed when his time comes. 7 The hidden plan to live without any law is at work now, but it will be secret only until the one who is holding it back is out of the way. 8 Then the person who is lawless will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath from his mouth. When the Lord comes, his appearance will put an end to him. 9 When the person who is lawless comes, it will happen through Satan’s effort, with all kinds of fake power, signs, and wonders. 10 It will happen with every sort of wicked deception of those who are heading toward destruction because they have refused to love the truth that would allow them to be saved. 11 This is why God will send them an influence that will mislead them so that they will believe the lie. 12 The result will be that everyone will be judged who is not convinced by the truth but is happy with injustice.
Prayer of thanks and encouragement
13 But we always must thank God for you, brothers and sisters who are loved by God. This is because he chose you from the beginning to be the first crop of the harvest. This brought salvation, through your dedication to God by the Spirit and through your belief in the truth. 14 God called all of you through our good news so you could possess the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions we taught you, whether we taught you in person or through our letter. 16 Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and a good hope. 17 May he encourage your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do or say.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible