M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Do Not Commit Sexual Sins
18 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 2 “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘I am the Lord your God. 3 Do not do what the people of Egypt do. You used to live there. And do not do what the people of Canaan do. I am bringing you into their land. Do not follow their practices. 4 Obey my laws. Be careful to follow my rules. I am the Lord your God. 5 Keep my rules and laws. The one who obeys them will benefit from living by them. I am the Lord.
6 “ ‘Do not have sex with any of your close relatives. I am the Lord.
7 “ ‘Do not bring shame on your father by having sex with your mother. Do not have sex with her. She is your mother.
8 “ ‘Do not have sex with any other wife of your father. That would bring shame on your father.
9 “ ‘Do not have sex with your sister. It does not matter whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter. It does not matter whether she was born in the same home as you were or somewhere else.
10 “ ‘Do not have sex with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter. That would bring shame on you.
11 “ ‘Do not have sex with the daughter of your father’s wife. She was born to your father. She is your sister.
12 “ ‘Do not have sex with your father’s sister. She is a close relative on your father’s side.
13 “ ‘Do not have sex with your mother’s sister. She is a close relative on your mother’s side.
14 “ ‘Do not bring shame on your father’s brother by having sex with his wife. She is your aunt.
15 “ ‘Do not have sex with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. Do not have sex with her.
16 “ ‘Do not have sex with your brother’s wife. That would bring shame on your brother.
17 “ ‘Do not have sex with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sex with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter. They are close relatives on her side. Having sex with them is an evil thing.
18 “ ‘Do not take your wife’s sister as another wife and have sex with her. Do not do it while your wife is still living.
19 “ ‘Do not have sex with a woman during her monthly period. She is “unclean” at that time.
20 “ ‘Do not have sex with your neighbor’s wife. That would make you “unclean.”
21 “ ‘Do not hand over any of your children to be sacrificed to the god Molek. That would be treating my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord your God.
22 “ ‘Do not have sex with a man as you would have sex with a woman. I hate that.
23 “ ‘Do not have sex with an animal. Do not make yourself “unclean” by doing that. A woman must not offer herself to an animal to have sex with it. That is a wrong use of sex.
24 “ ‘Do not make yourselves “unclean” in any of these ways. That is how other nations became “unclean.” So I am going to drive those nations out of the land to make room for you. 25 Even their land was not “clean.” So I punished it because of its sin. The land itself threw out the people who lived there. 26 But you must keep my rules and my laws. You must not do any of the things I hate. It does not matter whether you are Israelites or outsiders. 27 All these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you. That is how the land became “unclean.” 28 If you make the land “unclean,” it will throw you out. It will get rid of you just as it got rid of the nations there before you.
29 “ ‘Suppose you do any of the things I hate. Then you must be separated from your people. 30 Do exactly what I require. When you arrive in Canaan, do not follow any of the practices of its people. I hate the things they do. Do not make yourselves “unclean” by doing them. I am the Lord your God.’ ”
For the director of music. A psalm of David to the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.”
22 My God, my God, why have you deserted me?
Why do you seem so far away when I need you to save me?
Why do you seem so far away that you can’t hear my groans?
2 My God, I cry out in the daytime. But you don’t answer.
I cry out at night. But you don’t let me sleep.
3 But you rule from your throne as the Holy One.
You are the God Israel praises.
4 Our people of long ago put their trust in you.
They trusted in you, and you saved them.
5 They cried out to you and were saved.
They trusted in you, and you didn’t let them down.
6 Everyone treats me like a worm and not a man.
They hate me and look down on me.
7 All those who see me laugh at me.
They shout at me and make fun of me.
They shake their heads at me.
8 They say, “He trusts in the Lord.
Let the Lord help him.
If the Lord is pleased with him,
let him save him.”
9 But you brought me out of my mother’s body.
You made me trust in you
even when I was at my mother’s breast.
10 From the time I was born, you took good care of me.
Ever since I came out of my mother’s body, you have been my God.
11 Don’t be far away from me.
Trouble is near,
and there is no one to help me.
12 Many enemies are all around me.
They are like strong bulls from the land of Bashan.
13 They are like roaring lions that tear to pieces what they kill.
They open their mouths wide to attack me.
14 My strength is like water that is poured out on the ground.
I feel as if my bones aren’t connected.
My heart has turned to wax.
It has melted away inside me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a piece of broken pottery.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You bring me down to the edge of the grave.
16 A group of sinful people has closed in on me.
They are all around me like a pack of dogs.
They have pierced my hands and my feet.
17 Everyone can see all my bones right through my skin.
People stare at me. They laugh when I suffer.
18 They divide up my clothes among them.
They cast lots for what I am wearing.
19 Lord, don’t be so far away from me.
You give me strength. Come quickly to help me.
20 Save me from being killed by the sword.
Save the only life I have. Save me from the power of those dogs.
21 Save me from the mouths of those lions.
Save me from the horns of those wild oxen.
22 I will announce your name to my people.
I will praise you among those who are gathered to worship you.
23 You who have respect for the Lord, praise him!
All you people of Jacob, honor him!
All you people of Israel, worship him!
24 He has not forgotten the one who is hurting.
He has not turned away from his suffering.
He has not turned his face away from him.
He has listened to his cry for help.
25 Because of what you have done,
I will praise you in the whole community of those who worship you.
In front of those who respect you,
I will keep my promises.
26 Those who are poor will eat and be satisfied.
Those who seek the Lord will praise him.
May their hearts be filled with new hope!
27 People from one end of the earth to the other
will remember and turn to the Lord.
The people of all the nations
will bow down in front of him.
28 The Lord is King.
He rules over the nations.
29 All rich people of the earth will feast and worship God.
All who go down to the grave will kneel in front of him.
Those who cannot keep themselves alive will kneel.
30 Those who are not yet born will serve him.
Those who are born later will be told about the Lord.
31 And they will tell people who have not yet been born,
“The Lord has done what is right!”
Everything Is Meaningless
1 These are the words of the Teacher. He was the son of David. He was also the king in Jerusalem.
2 “Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Everything is completely meaningless!
Nothing has any meaning.”
3 What do people get for all their work?
Why do they work so hard on this earth?
4 People come and people go.
But the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises. Then it sets.
And then it hurries back to where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south.
Then it turns to the north.
Around and around it goes.
It always returns to where it started.
7 Every stream flows into the ocean.
But the ocean never gets full.
The streams return
to the place they came from.
8 All things are tiresome.
They are more tiresome than anyone can say.
But our eyes never see enough of anything.
Our ears never hear enough.
9 Everything that has ever been will come back again.
Everything that has ever been done will be done again.
Nothing is new on earth.
10 There isn’t anything about which someone can say,
“Look! Here’s something new.”
It was already here long ago.
It was here before we were.
11 No one remembers the people of long ago.
Even those who haven’t been born yet
won’t be remembered
by those who will be born after them.
Wisdom Is Meaningless
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I decided to study things carefully. I used my wisdom to check everything out. I looked into everything that is done on earth. What a heavy load God has put on human beings! 14 I’ve seen what is done on this earth. All of it is meaningless. It’s like chasing the wind.
15 People can’t straighten things that are crooked.
They can’t count things that don’t even exist.
16 I said to myself, “Look, I’ve now grown wiser than anyone who ruled over Jerusalem in the past. I have a lot of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I used my mind to understand what it really means to be wise. And I wanted to know what foolish pleasure is all about. But I found out that it’s also like chasing the wind.
18 A lot of human wisdom leads to a lot of sorrow.
More knowledge only brings more sadness.
Rules for Choosing Leaders and Deacons
3 Here is a saying you can trust. If anyone wants to be a leader in the church, they want to do a good work for God and people. 2 A leader must be free from blame. He must be faithful to his wife. In anything he does, he must not go too far. He must control himself. He must be worthy of respect. He must welcome people into his home. He must be able to teach. 3 He must not get drunk. He must not push people around. He must be gentle. He must not be a person who likes to argue. He must not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well. He must make sure that his children obey him. And he must do this in a way that gains him respect. 5 Suppose someone doesn’t know how to manage his own family. Then how can he take care of God’s church? 6 The leader must not be a new believer. If he is, he might become proud. Then he would be judged just like the devil. 7 The leader must also be respected by those who are outside the church. Then he will not be put to shame. He will not fall into the devil’s trap.
8 In the same way, deacons must be worthy of respect. They must be honest and true. They must not drink too much wine. They must not try to get money by cheating people. 9 They must hold on to the deep truths of the faith. Even their own minds tell them to do that. 10 First they must be tested. Then let them serve as deacons if there is nothing against them.
11 In the same way, the women must be worthy of respect. They must not say things that harm others. In anything they do, they must not go too far. They must be worthy of trust in everything.
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife. He must manage his children and family well. 13 Those who have served well earn the full respect of others. They also become more sure of their faith in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s Reasons for Giving Instructions to Timothy
14 I hope I can come to you soon. But now I am writing these instructions to you. 15 Then if I have to put off my visit, you will know how people should act in God’s family. The family of God is the church of the living God. It is the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 There is no doubt that true godliness comes from this great mystery.
Jesus came as a human being.
The Holy Spirit proved that he was the Son of God.
He was seen by angels.
He was preached among the nations.
People in the world believed in him.
He was taken up to heaven in glory.
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