M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Slaughtering of Animals
17 The Lord spoke to Moses:
2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: This is what the Lord has commanded. 3 If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp or slaughters it outside the camp 4 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to present it as an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, he shall be held guilty of bloodshed; he has shed blood, and he shall be cut off from the people.(A) 5 This is in order that the Israelites may bring their sacrifices that they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to the Lord. 6 The priest shall dash the blood against the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and turn the fat into smoke as a pleasing odor to the Lord,(B) 7 so that they may no longer offer their sacrifices for goat-demons, to whom they prostitute themselves. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.(C)
8 “And say to them further: Anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens who reside among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9 and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to sacrifice it to the Lord, shall be cut off from the people.(D)
Eating Blood Prohibited
10 “If anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens who reside among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut that person off from the people.(E) 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you for making atonement for your lives on the altar, for, as life, it is the blood that makes atonement.(F) 12 Therefore I have said to the Israelites, ‘No person among you shall eat blood, nor shall any alien who resides among you eat blood.’
13 “And anyone of the Israelites or of the aliens who reside among them who hunts down an animal or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth.(G) 14 For the life of every creature—its blood is its life; therefore I have said to the Israelites, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’(H) 15 All persons, native-born or alien, who eat what dies of itself or what has been torn by wild animals shall wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water and be unclean until the evening; then they shall be clean.(I) 16 But if they do not wash themselves or bathe their body, they shall bear their guilt.”
Psalm 20
Prayer for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1 The Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!(A)
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and give you support from Zion.(B)
3 May he remember all your offerings
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah(C)
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire
and fulfill all your plans.(D)
5 May we shout for joy over your victory
and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.(E)
6 Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.(F)
7 Some take pride in chariots and some in horses,
but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.(G)
8 They will collapse and fall,
but we shall rise and stand upright.(H)
9 Give victory to the king, O Lord;
answer us when we call.[a]
Psalm 21
Thanksgiving for Victory
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1 In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord,
and in your help how greatly he exults!(I)
2 You have given him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah(J)
3 For you meet him with rich blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold on his head.(K)
4 He asked you for life; you gave it to him—
length of days forever and ever.(L)
5 His glory is great through your help;
splendor and majesty you bestow on him.(M)
6 You bestow on him blessings forever;
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord,
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.(N)
8 Your hand will find out all your enemies;
your right hand will find out those who hate you.(O)
9 You will make them like a fiery furnace
when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and fire will consume them.(P)
10 You will destroy their offspring from the earth
and their children from among humankind.(Q)
11 If they plan evil against you,
if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.(R)
12 For you will put them to flight;
you will aim at their faces with your bows.(S)
13 Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength!
We will sing and praise your power.(T)
The Teaching of King Lemuel’s Mother
31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:(A)
2 No, my son! No, son of my womb!
No, son of my vows!(B)
3 Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.(C)
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine
or for rulers to desire[a] strong drink,(D)
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing
and wine to those in bitter distress;
7 let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Speak out for those who cannot speak,
for the rights of all the destitute.[b](E)
9 Speak out; judge righteously;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.(F)
Ode to a Woman of Strength
10 A woman of strength who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.(G)
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not harm
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax
and works with willing hands.(H)
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her female servants.(I)
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.(J)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all her household are clothed in crimson.(K)
22 She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the city gates,
taking his seat among the elders of the land.(L)
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she supplies the merchant with sashes.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.(M)
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.(N)
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.(O)
28 Her children rise up and call her happy;
her husband, too, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”(P)
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.(Q)
31 Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates.
Instructions concerning Prayer
2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.(A) 3 This is right and acceptable before God our Savior,(B) 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.(C) 5 For
there is one God;
there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,(D)
6 who gave himself a ransom for all
—this was attested at the right time.(E) 7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth;[a] I am not lying), a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth.(F)
8 I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument, 9 also that the women should dress themselves in moderate clothing with reverence and self-control, not with their hair braided or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, 10 but with good works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God. 11 Let a woman[b] learn in silence with full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman[c] to teach or to have authority over a man;[d] she is to keep silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve,(G) 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.(H) 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.