Talk:The Bible

About vs From
Shouldn't quotes about the titular work be in a separate page than those from it? Especially if they're both long enough to fill their own pages. User 13:13, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Bible passages vs quotations
I feel that some of the entries cross the line from a Biblical quotation to an Bible passage that is less noteworthy as a quotation. Alan Liefting 09:27, 31 July 2005 (UTC)


 * It's just as appropriate to delete, trim, or otherwise amend text as it is to add it. If you find something that doesn't seem particularly pithy, feel free to reduce or even remove it. If any quote or passage becomes a point of contention, the involved editors should bring up the issue on this talk page. If a reader doesn't feel comfortable removing or editing text, they're also welcome to ask specific questions about it on the talk page. As Wikipedia says, be bold! ~ Jeff Q (talk) 03:50, 14 November 2005 (UTC)

Error
The Bible is not the a religious text of Judaism. The jewish Torah only uses the first five books of the Old Testament. The rest has nothing to do with Judaism.
 * Wrong. The Torah is indeed the first five books.  However, the Jewish Bible or Tanach consists of the entire Old Testament as accepted by Protestants.  (Roman Catholics accept additional books, broadly the same as the protestant Apocrypha.)--Cato 19:52, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

John 4 or 1 John 4?
I believe the quote is actually from 1 John 4:18... 218.186.8.10 07:40, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

Subdivide?
This could be a huge article. Should it be divided into several articles? Some of the major books could easily be a whole article each.--Cato 20:15, 17 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Eventually it might become a directory of separate books of the Bible, but for now simply a cleaner division into sections for the various books would be an improvement. I saw the need for this recently but had not had the time to get around to it. ~ Kalki 20:18, 17 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Maybe not a separate article for each book, but we could certainly do separate Proverbs and Psalms articles. Koweja 02:11, 23 February 2007 (UTC)
 * How about
 * separate OT and NT: keep the main article as collection of "about Bible".
 * separate some OT books from the OT general (i.e. Psalms and Proverbs).--Aphaia 04:32, 25 February 2007 (UTC)

Order of books
Should the order of books in the Old Testament follow the traditional Jewish ordering or the Christian one? At present, it does neither.--Cato 10:27, 22 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Just to make things more difficult, not all Christian churches put them in the same order. See Books of the Bible. Koweja 02:12, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

If we don't follow the Jewish ordering, I think we should use the King James version, which is followed by all Protestant Bibles.--Cato 20:11, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

I am hardly for your proposal, Cato. Since KJV omits some documents of OT and Protestant is anyway not the majority of Christianity, while NPOV policy demands us to follow generally the way of the majority. I propose Eastern Orthodox way, while it is not the majority (even it is the second largest denomination), its way accords to the largest one's, Catholic order, only contains some books Catholic doesn't recognize, and not contradict largely with the Protestant way. --Aphaia 04:30, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Aphaia: I'm afraid I must disagree. The complete KJV includes the Apocrypha, and therefore includes all the books found in Roman Catholic Bibles, plus 3 and 4 Esdras that Catholic Bibles omit.  No doubt most KJVs printed in modern times omit the Apocrypha, but some include it.  In most English-speaking countries (and this is the English language Wikiquote), Protestantism is the dominant sect of Christianity.  As for Eastern Orthodoxy, I have never seen one of their Bibles in English.--Cato 21:06, 3 March 2007 (UTC)

"Message"?
What means "message" in section name? "Leviticus xx, KJV" (or NIV, RSV ...) makes a sense but I have no idea what means "message" here. --Aphaia 04:25, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
 * "The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language" is a paraphrase of the Bible by Eugene Peterson.--Cato 21:08, 3 March 2007 (UTC)

The message of the Bible is one of the historical relationship with his chosen people {the Jews},secondly it is his message of salvation to those who choose to become his adopted children, it is a message for all humankind. It is a handbook for humanity with which one can learn all that necessary to be in a right relationship with God, through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. {RNDJR}

Let's settle on a translation
Having several different translations is confusing and inconsistent. I suggest we use the King James since that's the one most influential on the English language; secondary choice would be the New Revised Standard Version, which is the most-used translation today by scholars. [Unsigned comment 23:52, 31 January 2008 by User:96.231.151.191]
 * The formatting of this page needs major cleanup, but I see no need to constrain quotes to any particular translation. I might actually attempt the division of this into a "contents" page for the separate books of the bible in the months ahead, but I have several other personal priorities. I might start on it within a few weeks. I would probably primarily use the KJV and RSV, but augment it with others also. ~ Kalki 00:09, 1 February 2008 (UTC)


 * We really need separate articles on each Biblical book, or at least the longer ones. I started doing that but it's run into the sand alas.  As to quotations, we put what is well-known and notable.  This will usually be the KJV, but not always.  It may include pre-KJV and Catholic versions for example.--Cato 08:49, 3 February 2008 (UTC)

The KJV is an old translation - most churches and Christians use the NIV these days. In fact, many of the quotes from the NIV are now better known than quotes from the KJV. I would suggest that if a single translation was chosen, it was the NIV

Bible Misprints
Shouldn't there be a page of Bible misprints/misquotations? 92.20.175.148 09:26, 10 February 2012 (UTC)
 * A good list for misquotations is here (remove spaces and end period): http:// suite101.com/ article/common-sayings-not-from-the-bible-a118379. Those five seem to be the "standard" misquotes, which I'll repeat here: "spare the rod, spoil the child", "cleanliness is next to godliness", "the lord helps those who help themselves", "money is the root of all evil", and "pride goeth before a fall".

Unsourced quotes about the Bible

 * If you have no Bible, you have no way to live. Those who either don't have the Bible or choose to curse the Bible are lost. They have nothing to guide them to redemption. I feel sorry for them. - Rosa Parks


 * If there is anything in my thoughts or style to commend, the credit is due to my parents for instilling in me an early love of the Scriptures. If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity. – Daniel Webster


 * I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book. – Abraham Lincoln


 * There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history. – Sir Isaac Newton


 * In the Bible, there is no mention of the Trinity. . . . We get to know God, not through our proud philosophical concepts, but through Christ. – Michael Servetus


 * The Bible has been the Magna Carta of the poor and oppressed. The human race is not in a position to dispense with It. – Thomas Huxley


 * Bible reading is an education in itself. – Lord Tennyson


 * The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity. – Immanuel Kant


 * Let mental culture go on advancing, let the natural sciences progress in ever greater extent and depth, and the human mind widen itself as much as it desires, beyond the elevation and moral culture of Christianity, as it shines forth in the gospels, it will not go. – Goethe


 * All Bibles are man-made.
 * Thomas Alva Edison


 * Is there an intelligent man or woman now in the world who believes in the Garden of Eden story? If you find any man who believes it, strike his forehead and you will hear an echo. Something is for rent.
 * Robert Green Ingersoll.


 * Is there an intelligent man or woman now in the world who believes in the Garden of Eden story? If you find any man who believes it, strike his forehead and you will hear an echo. Something is for rent.
 * Robert Green Ingersoll.


 * I sincerely detest it, the Bible as I detest everything that is cruel.
 * Thomas Paine


 * It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.
 * Thomas Paine


 * The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women's emancipation.
 * Elizabeth Cady Stanton


 * But the truth is, that when a Library expels a book of mine and leaves an unexpurgated Bible lying around where unprotected youth and age can get hold of it, the deep unconscious irony of it delights me and doesn't anger me. ~ Letter to Mrs. F. G. Whitmore (February 7, 1907) by Mark Twain
 * God damn America! That's in the Bible, for killing innocent people.
 * Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

Quotations requiring additional source information

 * these quotes fail to include a translation in their citation

Genesis

 * In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. (1:1-3)


 * Now the said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ (12:1-3)


 * Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ And the said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’ (18:23-32)




 * When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The  will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the  it shall be provided.’ (22:9-14)

Exodus

 * Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah in marriage. She bore a son, and he named him Gershom; for he said, “I have been an alien residing in a foreign land.” (2:21-22)
 * And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.


 * But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “ has sent me to you.”’ (3:13-14)


 * Afterwards Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, ‘Thus says the, the God of Israel, “Let my people go, so that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.” ’ But Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the , that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know the , and I will not let Israel go.’ (5:1-2)


 * Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the  in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the Israelites, for the  is fighting for them against Egypt.’


 * Then the said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. (14:21-29)


 * If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. (21:23-25)


 * You shall not permit a female sorcerer to live. (22:18)


 * Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take fragrant spices--gum resin, onycha and galbanum--and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, (30:34)

Leviticus

 * You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the . (19:18)


 * When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (19:33-34)


 * All who curse father or mother shall be put to death; having cursed father or mother, their blood is upon them. (20:9)


 * If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them. (20:13)


 * A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall be put to death; they shall be stoned to death, their blood is upon them. (20:27)


 * You shall take choice flour, and bake twelve loaves of it; two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. You shall place them in two rows, six in a row, on the table of pure gold. You shall put pure frankincense with each row, to be a token offering for the bread, as an offering by fire to the . Every sabbath day Aaron shall set them in order before the regularly as a commitment of the people of Israel, as a covenant for ever. They shall be for Aaron and his descendants, who shall eat them in a holy place, for they are most holy portions for him from the offerings by fire to the, a perpetual due. (24:5-9)


 * One who blasphemes the name of the shall be put to death; the whole congregation shall stone the blasphemer. Aliens as well as citizens, when they blaspheme the Name, shall be put to death. (24:16)


 * You shall have one law for the alien and for the citizen: for I am the your God. (24:22)


 * And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family. (25:10)

Numbers

 * Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,
 * no divination against Israel;
 * now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
 * ‘See what God has done!’ (23:23)

Deuteronomy

 * Hear, O Israel: The is our God, the  alone. You shall love the  your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (6:4-9)


 * If a member of your community, whether a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and works for you for six years, in the seventh year you shall set that person free. And when you send a male slave out from you a free person, you shall not send him out empty-handed. Provide liberally out of your flock, your threshing-floor, and your wine press, thus giving to him some of the bounty with which the your God has blessed you. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the  your God redeemed you; for this reason I lay this command upon you today. But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you’, because he loves you and your household, since he is well off with you, then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his earlobe into the door, and he shall be your slave for ever. (15:12-17)


 * If there is a young woman, a virgin already engaged to be married, and a man meets her in the town and lies with her, you shall bring both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death, the young woman because she did not cry for help in the town and the man because he violated his neighbour’s wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.


 * But if the man meets the engaged woman in the open country, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. You shall do nothing to the young woman; the young woman has not committed an offence punishable by death, because this case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbour. Since he found her in the open country, the engaged woman may have cried for help, but there was no one to rescue her.


 * If a man meets a virgin who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are caught in the act, the man who lay with her shall give fifty shekels of silver to the young woman’s father, and she shall become his wife. Because he violated her he shall not be permitted to divorce her as long as he lives. (22:23-29)

Exodus 20:1-17

 * Then God spoke all these words:


 * I am the your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.


 * You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.


 * You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.


 * Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.


 * Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the your God is giving you.


 * You shall not murder.


 * You shall not commit adultery.


 * You shall not steal.


 * You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.


 * You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Deuteronomy 5:6-21

 * I am the your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.


 * You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.


 * You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the your God, for the  will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.


 * Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the your God commanded you. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the  your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the  your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the  your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.


 * Honour your father and your mother, as the your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the  your God is giving you.


 * You shall not murder.


 * Neither shall you commit adultery.


 * Neither shall you steal.


 * Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbour.


 * Neither shall you covet your neighbour’s wife.


 * Neither shall you desire your neighbour’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Joshua

 * I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the your God is with you wherever you go.’  (1:9)


 * So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys. (6:20-21)

Judges

 * Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, ‘You are fugitives from Ephraim, you Gileadites—in the heart of Ephraim and Manasseh.’ Then the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever one of the fugitives of Ephraim said, ‘Let me go over’, the men of Gilead would say to him, ‘Are you an Ephraimite?’ When he said, ‘No’, they said to him, ‘Then say Shibboleth’, and he said, ‘Sibboleth’, for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites fell at that time. (12:4-6)




 * Then Delilah said to Samson, ‘Until now you have mocked me and told me lies; tell me how you could be bound.’ He said to her, ‘If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and make it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak, and be like anyone else.’ So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web, and made them tight with the pin. Then she said to him, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ But he awoke from his sleep, and pulled away the pin, the loom, and the web.


 * Then she said to him, ‘How can you say, “I love you”, when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me three times now and have not told me what makes your strength so great.’ Finally, after she had nagged him with her words day after day, and pestered him, he was tired to death. So he told her his whole secret, and said to her, ‘A razor has never come upon my head; for I have been a nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, then my strength would leave me; I would become weak, and be like anyone else.’


 * When Delilah realized that he had told her his whole secret, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, ‘This time come up, for he has told his whole secret to me.’ Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hands. She let him fall asleep on her lap; and she called a man, and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. He began to weaken, and his strength left him. Then she said, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ When he awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the had left him. So the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles; and he ground at the mill in the prison. (16:13-21)




 * Then Samson called to the and said, ‘Lord, remember me and strengthen me only this once, O God, so that with this one act of revenge I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.’ And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. Then Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines.’ He strained with all his might; and the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed during his life. (16:28-30)

Ruth

 * May Jehovah reward you for what you have done, and may there be a perfect wage for you from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.
 * 2:12


 * Meanwhile, the boy Samuel kept growing in stature and in favor both with Jehovah and with the people.
 * 2:26

1 Samuel

 * Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.” And Agag came to him haltingly. Agag said, “Surely this is the bitterness of death.” (15:32)
 * And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. (KJV)
 * And Agag came unto him in chains. And Agag said: "Surely the bitterness of death is at hand." (JPS)


 * When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the ’s anointed is now before the .’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the  looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the  chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the  chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The  has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The  said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the  came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. (16:6-13)


 * And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armoured with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’ (17:4-9)




 * When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.


 * So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it.


 * When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. (17:48-51)

Job

 * There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. (1:1)
 * Once upon a time, in the land of Uz, there was a man named Job. He was a man of perfect integrity, who feared God and avoided evil. (Stephen Mitchell, The Book of Job. North Point Press, 1987)


 * One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the, and Satan also came among them. The said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the , ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ The  said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.’ Then Satan answered the , ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.’ The  said to Satan, ‘Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!’ So Satan went out from the presence of the . (1:6-12)


 * Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshipped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ (1:20-21)


 * Finally his wife said to him: “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her: “You are talking like one of the senseless women. Should we accept only what is good from the true God and not accept also what is bad?” In all of this, Job did not sin with his lips.
 * 2:9-10, NWT


 * Then the answered Job out of the whirlwind:
 * ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
 * Gird up your loins like a man,
 * I will question you, and you shall declare to me.


 * ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
 * Tell me, if you have understanding.
 * Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
 * Or who stretched the line upon it?
 * On what were its bases sunk,
 * or who laid its cornerstone
 * when the morning stars sang together
 * and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? (38:1-7)


 * Then Job answered the Lord: ‘I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. “Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?” Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. “Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.” I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’ (42:1-6)
 * Job said in reply to the : I know that You can do everything, That nothing you propose is impossible for You. Who is this who obscures counsel without knowledge? Indeed, I spoke without understanding Of things beyond me, which I did not know. Hear now, and I will speak: I will ask, and You will inform me. I had heard You with my ears, But now I see You with my eyes; Therefore, I recant and relent, Being but dust and ashes. (NJPS)
 * I know you can do all things and nothing you wish is impossible. Who is this whose ignorant words cover my design with darkness? I have spoken of the unspeakable and tried to grasp the infinite. Listen and I will speak; I will question you: please, instruct me. I had heard of you with my ears; but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I will be quiet, comforted that I am dust. (Mitchell)

Psalms

 * When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers,
 * The moon and the stars that you have prepared,
 * What is mortal man that you keep him in mind,
 * And a son of man that you take care of him?
 * You made him a little lower than godlike ones,
 * And you crowned him with glory and splendor.
 * You gave him dominion over the works of your hands;
 * You have put everything under his feet:
 * All the flocks and cattle,
 * As well as the wild animals,
 * The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
 * Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
 * O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is throughout the earth!
 * Psalms 8: 3-9
 * A Psalm of David. NWT


 * A Psalm of David.
 * The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
 * He makes me lie down in green pastures;
 * he leads me beside still waters;
 * he restores my soul.
 * He leads me in right paths
 * for his name’s sake.


 * Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
 * I fear no evil;'
 * 'for you are with me;
 * your rod and your staff—
 * they comfort me.


 * You prepare a table before me
 * in the presence of my enemies;
 * you anoint my head with oil;
 * my cup overflows.
 * Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
 * all the days of my life,
 * and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
 * my whole life long. (23)


 * God said: “Because he has affection for me,
 * I will rescue him. I will protect him because he knows my name.
 * He will call on me, and I will answer him.
 * I will be with him in distress.
 * I will rescue him and glorify him.
 * I will satisfy him with long life,
 * And I will cause him to see my acts of salvation.
 * Psalms 91:14-16, NWT


 * If errors were what you watch, O Jah,
 * Then who, O Jehovah, could stand?
 * For with you there is true forgiveness,
 * So that you may be held in awe.
 * I hope in Jehovah, my whole being hopes in him; I wait for his word.
 * 130:3-5 NWT

Proverbs

 * My son, do not reject the discipline of Jehovah,
 * And do not loathe his reproof.
 * For those whom Jehovah loves he reproves,
 * Just as a father does a son in whom he delights.
 * 3: 11,12, NWT


 * The fear of the is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (9:10)


 * Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
 * but those who act faithfully are his delight. (12:22)


 * The fear of Jehovah is a training in wisdom, and before glory there is humility.
 * 15:33, NWT

Ecclesiastes

 * Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever. The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south, and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. (1:2-9)


 * לַכֹּ֖ל זְמָ֑ן וְעֵ֥ת לְכָל־חֵ֖פֶץ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ עֵ֥ת לָלֶ֖דֶת וְעֵ֣ת לָמ֑וּת עֵ֣ת לָטַ֔עַת וְעֵ֖ת לַעֲקֹ֥ור נָטֽוּעַ׃ עֵ֤ת לַהֲרֹוג֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִרְפֹּ֔וא עֵ֥ת לִפְרֹ֖וץ וְעֵ֥ת לִבְנֹֽות׃ עֵ֤ת לִבְכֹּות֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִשְׂחֹ֔וק עֵ֥ת סְפֹ֖וד וְעֵ֥ת רְקֹֽוד׃ עֵ֚ת לְהַשְׁלִ֣יךְ אֲבָנִ֔ים וְעֵ֖ת כְּנֹ֣וס אֲבָנִ֑ים עֵ֣ת לַחֲבֹ֔וק וְעֵ֖ת לִרְחֹ֥ק מֵחַבֵּֽק׃ עֵ֤ת לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ וְעֵ֣ת לְאַבֵּ֔ד עֵ֥ת לִשְׁמֹ֖ור וְעֵ֥ת לְהַשְׁלִֽיךְ׃ עֵ֤ת לִקְרֹ֙ועַ֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִתְפֹּ֔ור עֵ֥ת לַחֲשֹׁ֖ות וְעֵ֥ת לְדַבֵּֽר׃ עֵ֤ת לֶֽאֱהֹב֙ וְעֵ֣ת לִשְׂנֹ֔א עֵ֥ת מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְעֵ֥ת שָׁלֹֽום׃
 * For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (3:1-8)

Song of Solomon

 * Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
 * For your love is better than wine,
 * your anointing oils are fragrant,
 * your name is perfume poured out;
 * therefore the maidens love you. (1:2-3)

Sirach

 * Let us now sing the praises of famous men, our ancestors in their generations. (44:1)
 * He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else. (9:2)

Proto-Isaiah

 * He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (2:4)


 * For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (9:6)

Deutero-Isaiah

 * Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. (40:1-2)


 * But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. (53:5)

Jeremiah

 * Do not be afraid because of their appearance, for ‘I am with you to save you,’ declares Jehovah.
 * Jeremiah 1:8


 * And they will certainly fight against you, But they will not prevail against you, For ‘I am with you,’ declares Jehovah, ‘to save you.’
 * 1:19


 * The said to me in the days of King Josiah: Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and played the whore there? And I thought, “After she has done all this she will return to me”; but she did not return, and her false sister Judah saw it. She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. Because she took her whoredom so lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. Yet for all this her false sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense, says the . (3:6-10)


 * For thus says the : Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the , and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the , and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (29:10-14)

Lamentations

 * The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (3:20-23)


 * Who can command and have it done, if the Lord has not ordained it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? Why should any who draw breath complain about the punishment of their sins? (3:37-39)


 * I called on your name, O, from the depths of the pit; you heard my plea, “Do not close your ear to my cry for help, but give me relief!” You came near when I called on you; you said, “Do not fear!” You have taken up my cause, O Lord, you have redeemed my life. You have seen the wrong done to me, O ; judge my cause. You have seen all their malice, all their plots against me. (3:55-60)

Ezekiel

 * When she carried on her whorings so openly and flaunted her nakedness, I turned in disgust from her, as I had turned from her sister. Yet she increased her whorings, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the whore in the land of Egypt and lusted after her paramours there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose emission was like that of stallions. Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your bosom and caressed your young breasts. (23:18-21)


 * So I will put an end to your lewdness and your whoring brought from the land of Egypt; you shall not long for them, or remember Egypt any more. For thus says the Lord God: I will deliver you into the hands of those whom you hate, into the hands of those from whom you turned in disgust; and they shall deal with you in hatred, and take away all the fruit of your labour, and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whorings shall be exposed. Your lewdness and your whorings have brought this upon you, because you played the whore with the nations, and polluted yourself with their idols. (23:27-30)


 * And I will execute great vengeance upon thee with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them. (25:17)


 * If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked ones, you shall surely die’, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life. (33:8-9)


 * I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and its proud might shall come to an end; and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will pass through. Then they shall know that I am the, when I have made the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations that they have committed. As for you, mortal, your people who talk together about you by the walls, and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to a neighbour, ‘Come and hear what the word is that comes from the .’ They come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not obey them. For flattery is on their lips, but their heart is set on their gain. To them you are like a singer of love songs, one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; they hear what you say, but they will not do it. When this comes—and come it will!—then they shall know that a prophet has been among them. (33:28-33)

Daniel



 * Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom.” Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation. Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed. (5:5-9)

Jonah

 * So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the  and made vows. But the  provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (1:15-17)

Micah

 * “With what shall I come before the, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the  require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (6:6-8)

Matthew



 * When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (5:1-16)


 * ‘Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. (6:9-13)


 * ‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye. (7:1-5)


 * In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. (7:12)


 * Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? (16:24-26)

Mark

 * When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (10:41-45)


 * When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, ‘Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.’ Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’ (15:33-39)

Luke

 * In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. (1:26-38)


 * In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ (1:39-45)


 * After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. (2:46-50)


 * As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ (3:15-17)

John



 * In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (1:1-5)


 * For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (3:16)


 * Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’ (8:2-11)


 * Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. (8:31-34)


 * Jesus wept. (11:35)


 * When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ (13:31-35)


 * ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ (14:1-7)




 * No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (15:13)


 * But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ (20:24-29)


 * But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (21:25)

Acts



 * So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. (1:6-9)


 * Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” (2:5-13)


 * When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him. (7:54-60, 8:1)


 * So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. (8:30-31)


 * Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (9:1-9)


 * Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with[e] the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.” (11:25-26)


 * Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. (17:22-27)

Romans 1:16-25, King James Version
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Romans 3:23, King James Version
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Romans 5:3-4
Tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope.

Romans 6:23, King James Version
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8: 38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 9:33, King James Version
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 12:1–2, "The Message"
Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:5–8, "The Message"
Since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

1 Corinthians 10:12, King James Version
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

1 Corinthians 10:13, King James Version
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 13

 * 1If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. 2And if I have the gift of prophesy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, 5it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, 6it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7It bears all things, believes in all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tounges, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. 9For we know partially and we prophesy partially, 10but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. 13So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
 * 1 Corinthians Ch. 13 New American Standard Bible


 * Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
 * I Corinthians Ch. 13 (NKJV).


 * Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
 * I Corinthians Ch. 13 (KJV) The word Charity is here used as a translation of the Latin Caritas, and the original Greek Agape, which were words for "Love", and used to denote the highest and most self-transcending forms of Love.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8, King James Version
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

1 Corinthians 15:55, King James Version
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

2 Corinthians 4:8–10, King James Version
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18, English Standard Version
'''So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.'''.

Galatians 1:10, New International Version
Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:15–16, New International Version
But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,

Galatians 6:1–5, New International Version
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.

Philippians 4:8, NWT

 * Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well-spoken-of, whatever things are virtuous, and whatever things are praiseworthy, continue considering these things.
 * 4:8, NWT

Colossians 3:4, King James Version
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:19, King James Version
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

1 Timothy 1:15, King James Version
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1 Timothy 4:12, King James Version
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

2 Timothy 2:15, King James Version
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Hebrews 11:1, New International Version
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 13:2, NKJV
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Letter of James

 * For the one who does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
 * James 2:13

The First of Peter

 * Honor men of all sorts, have love for the whole association of brothers, be in fear of God, honor the king.
 * 1 Peter 2: 17

The Second of Peter

 * Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.
 * The Second of Peter 3: 11-13, NWT

Catholic epistles

 * Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, coming down from the Father of the celestial lights, who does not vary or change like the shifting shadows.
 * James 1: 17, New World Translation

James 4:17, King James Version
Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

1 John 4:18-24, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
By this we shall know that we originate with the truth, and we shall assure our hearts before him 20 as regards whatever our hearts may condemn us in, because God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. 21 Beloved ones, if [our] hearts do not condemn [us], we have freeness of speech toward God; 22  and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we are observing his commandments and are doing the things that are pleasing in his eyes. 23 Indeed, this is his commandment, that we have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and be loving one another,+ just as he gave us commandment. 24 Moreover, he who observes his commandments remains in union with him, and he in union with such one; and by this we gain the knowledge that he is remaining in union with us, owing to the spirit which he gave us.

1 John 4:18, King James Version
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Jude, Verse 3, King James Version
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.