M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Makes Things Right for the People of Gibeon
21 For three years in a row there wasn’t enough food in the land. That was while David was king. So David asked the Lord why he wasn’t blessing his people. The Lord said, “It is because Saul and his family committed murder. He put the people of Gibeon to death.”
2 The people of Gibeon weren’t a part of Israel. Instead, they were some of the Amorites who were still left alive. The Israelites had promised to spare them. But Saul had tried to put an end to them. That’s because he wanted to make Israel and Judah strong. So now King David sent for the people of Gibeon and spoke to them. 3 He asked them, “What would you like me to do for you? How can I make up for the wrong things that were done to you? I want you to be able to pray that the Lord will once again bless his land.”
4 The people of Gibeon answered him. They said, “No amount of silver or gold can make up for what Saul and his family did to us. And we can’t put anyone in Israel to death.”
“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.
5 They answered the king, “Saul nearly destroyed us. He made plans to wipe us out. We don’t have anywhere to live in Israel. 6 So let seven of the males in his family line be given to us. We’ll kill them. We’ll put their dead bodies out in the open in the sight of the Lord. We’ll do it at Gibeah of Saul. Saul was the Lord’s chosen king.”
So King David said, “I’ll give seven males to you.”
7 The king spared Mephibosheth. He was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. David had made a promise in front of the Lord. He had promised to be kind to Jonathan and the family line of his father Saul. 8 But the king chose Armoni and another Mephibosheth. They were the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah. Saul was their father. The king also chose the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab. Adriel, the son of Barzillai, was their father. Adriel was from Meholah. 9 King David handed them over to the people of Gibeon. They killed them. They put their dead bodies out in the open on a hill in the sight of the Lord. All seven of them died together. They were put to death during the first days of the harvest. It happened just when people were beginning to harvest the barley.
10 Aiah’s daughter Rizpah took some rough cloth people wear when they’re sad. She spread it out for herself on a rock. She stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until it rained. The rain poured down from the sky on the dead bodies of the seven males. She didn’t let the birds touch them by day. She didn’t let the wild animals touch them at night. 11 Someone told David what Rizpah had done. She was Aiah’s daughter and Saul’s concubine. 12 David went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. He got them from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. They had stolen their bodies from the main street in Beth Shan. That’s where the Philistines had hung their bodies up on the city wall. They had done it after they struck Saul down on Mount Gilboa. 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from Jabesh Gilead. The bones of the seven males who had been killed and put out in the open were also gathered up.
14 The bones of Saul and his son Jonathan were buried in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. The tomb was at Zela in the territory of Benjamin. Everything the king commanded was done. After that, God answered prayer and blessed the land.
Wars Against the Philistines
15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines. He became very tired. 16 Ishbi-Benob belonged to the family line of Rapha. The tip of his bronze spear weighed seven and a half pounds. He was also armed with a new sword. He said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to save David. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men made a promise. They said to David, “We never want you to go out with us to battle again. You are the lamp of Israel’s kingdom. We want that lamp to keep on burning brightly.”
18 There was another battle against the Philistines. It took place at Gob. At that time Sibbekai killed Saph. Sibbekai was a Hushathite. Saph was from the family line of Rapha.
19 In another battle against the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan killed Goliath’s brother. Elhanan was the son of Jair from Bethlehem. Goliath was from the city of Gath. His spear was as big as a weaver’s rod.
20 There was still another battle. It took place at Gath. A huge man lived there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. So the total number of his toes and fingers was 24. He was also from the family of Rapha. 21 He made fun of Israel. So Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of David’s brother Shimeah.
22 Those four Philistine men lived in Gath. They were from the family line of Rapha. David and his men killed them.
1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle. People have not sent me. No human authority has sent me. I have been sent by Jesus Christ and by God the Father. God raised Jesus from the dead. 2 All the brothers and sisters who are with me join me in writing.
We are sending this letter to you, the members of the churches in Galatia.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins. He set us free from this evil world. That was what our God and Father wanted. 5 Give glory to God for ever and ever. Amen.
There Is No Other Good News
6 I am amazed. You are so quickly deserting the one who chose you. He chose you to live in the grace that Christ has provided. You are turning to a different “good news.” 7 What you are accepting is really not the good news at all. It seems that some people have gotten you all mixed up. They are trying to twist the good news about Christ. 8 But suppose even we should preach a different “good news.” Suppose even an angel from heaven should preach it. Suppose it is different from the good news we gave you. Then let anyone who does that be cursed by God. 9 I have already said it. Now I will say it again. Suppose someone preaches a “good news” that is different from what you accepted. That person should be cursed by God.
10 Am I now trying to get people to think well of me? Or do I want God to think well of me? Am I trying to please people? If I were, I would not be serving Christ.
Paul Was Appointed by God
11 Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know. The good news I preached does not come from human beings. 12 No one gave it to me. No one taught it to me. Instead, I received it from Jesus Christ. He showed it to me.
13 You have heard how I lived earlier in my Jewish way of life. With all my strength I attacked the church of God. I tried to destroy it. 14 I was moving ahead in my Jewish way of life. I went beyond many of my people who were my own age. I held firmly to the teachings passed down by my people. 15 But God set me apart from before the time I was born. He showed me his grace by appointing me. He was pleased 16 to show his Son in my life. He wanted me to preach about Jesus among the Gentiles. When God appointed me, I decided right away not to ask anyone for advice. 17 I didn’t go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem. I went there to get to know Peter. I stayed with him for 15 days. 19 I didn’t see any of the other apostles. I only saw James, the Lord’s brother. 20 Here is what you can be sure of. And God is even a witness to it. What I am writing you is not a lie.
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 The members of Christ’s churches in Judea did not know me in a personal way. 23 They only heard others say, “The man who used to attack us has changed. He is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, speak to Ethbaal. He is the ruler of Tyre. Tell him, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “In your proud heart
you say, ‘I am a god.
I sit on the throne of a god
in the Mediterranean Sea.’
But you are only a human being. You are not a god.
In spite of that, you think you are as wise as a god.
3 Are you wiser than Daniel?
Isn’t even one secret hidden from you?
4 You are wise and understanding.
So you have become very wealthy.
You have piled up gold and silver
among your treasures.
5 You have used your great skill in trading
to increase your wealth.
You are very rich.
So your heart has become proud.” ’ ”
6 The Lord and King says,
“You think you are wise.
In fact, you claim to be as wise as a god.
7 So I am going to bring outsiders against you.
They will not show you any pity at all.
They will use their swords against your beauty and wisdom.
They will strike down your shining glory.
8 They will bring you down to the grave.
You will die a horrible death
in the middle of the sea.
9 Then will you say, ‘I am a god’?
Will you say that to those who kill you?
You will be only a human being to those who kill you.
You will not be a god to them.
10 You will die just like those who have not been circumcised.
Outsiders will kill you.
I have spoken,” announces the Lord and King.
11 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 12 “Son of man, sing a song of sadness about the king of Tyre. Tell him, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “You were the model of perfection.
You were full of wisdom.
You were perfect and beautiful.
13 You were in Eden.
It was my garden.
All kinds of jewels decorated you.
Here is a list of them:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made out of gold.
On the day you were created,
they were prepared.
14 I appointed you to be like a guardian angel.
I anointed you for that purpose.
You were on my holy mountain.
You walked among the gleaming jewels.
15 Your conduct was without blame
from the day you were created.
But soon you began to sin.
16 You traded with many nations.
You harmed people everywhere.
And you sinned.
So I sent you away from my mountain in shame.
Guardian angel, I drove you away
from among the gleaming jewels.
17 You thought you were so handsome
that it made your heart proud.
You thought you were so glorious
that it spoiled your wisdom.
So I threw you down to the earth.
I made an example out of you in front of kings.
18 Your many sins and dishonest trade
made your holy places impure.
So I made you go up in flames.
I turned you into nothing but ashes on the ground.
I let everyone see it.
19 All the nations that knew you
are shocked because of what happened to you.
You have come to a horrible end.
And you will be gone forever.” ’ ”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 21 “Son of man, turn your attention to the city of Sidon. Prophesy against it. 22 Say, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “Sidon, I am against your people.
Among you I will display my glory.
I will punish your people.
Among you I will prove that I am holy.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.
23 I will send a plague on you.
I will make blood flow in your streets.
Those who are killed will fall inside you.
Swords will strike your people on every side.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.
24 “ ‘ “The people of Israel will no longer have neighbors who hate them. Those neighbors will not be like sharp and painful thorns anymore. Then Israel will know that I am the Lord and King.” ’ ”
25 The Lord and King says, “I will gather the people of Israel together from the nations where they have been scattered. That will prove that I am holy. I will let the nations see it. Then Israel will live in their own land. I gave it to my servant Jacob. 26 My people will live there in safety. They will build houses. They will plant vineyards. They will live in safety. I will punish all their neighbors who told lies about them. Then Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.”
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.
77 I cried out to God for help.
I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in trouble, I looked to the Lord for help.
During the night I lifted up my hands in prayer.
But I refused to be comforted.
3 God, I remembered you, and I groaned.
I thought about you, and I became weak.
4 You kept me from going to sleep.
I was so troubled I couldn’t speak.
5 I thought about days gone by.
I thought about the years of long ago.
6 I remembered how I used to sing praise to you in the night.
I thought about it, and here is what I asked myself.
7 “Will the Lord turn away from us forever?
Won’t he ever show us his kindness again?
8 Has his faithful love disappeared forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to help us?
Has he held back his tender love because he was angry?”
10 Then I thought, “Here is what gives me hope.
For many years the Most High God showed how powerful he is.
11 Lord, I will remember what you did.
Yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will spend time thinking about everything you have done.
I will consider all your mighty acts.”
13 God, everything you do is holy.
What god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who does miracles.
You show your power among the nations.
15 With your mighty arm you set your people free.
You set the children of Jacob and Joseph free.
16 God, the water of the Red Sea saw you.
It saw you and boiled up.
The deepest waters were stirred up.
17 The clouds poured down rain.
The skies rumbled with thunder.
Lightning flashed back and forth like arrows.
18 Your thunder was heard in the windstorm.
Your lightning lit up the world.
The earth trembled and shook.
19 Your path led through the Red Sea.
You walked through the mighty waters.
But your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock.
You led them by the hands of Moses and Aaron.
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