Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. read more.
They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things. In the past he let all nations to walk in their own ways. He has not left himself without witness. For he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Even with these words they found it hard to keep the crowd from sacrificing to them.


Some of them were convinced (believed) and joined with Paul and Silas. A large crowd of the devout Greeks and of the prominent women also joined.

This I say therefore, and testify (affirm) in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the nations also walk, in the vanity (futility) (depravity) of their mind (thinking). They are darkened (blinded) (obscured) in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart. They are past feeling. They have given themselves over to loose conduct, to work all uncleanness with greediness (a lust for more).

Do not worry! Do not say: 'What shall we eat?' or, 'What shall we drink?' or, 'What shall we wear?' All people go in search of these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.


But I say, that the things that the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

This is what Jehovah says: Do not learn the practices of the nations. Do not be frightened by the signs in the sky because they frighten the nations. The people's customs are erroneous and empty. It is wood cut from the forest. It is the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

Large quantities of meaningless words and repetition are not acceptable in prayer. The pagans think their gods will hear long and repetitious prayers. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

In the past he let all nations to walk in their own ways.

Paul waited for them at Athens. His spirit was irritated within him when he saw the city full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and devout persons. He went to the marketplace every day with those who would meet with him.

Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said: Men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that you are very religious. As I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: To An Unknown God. What you worship as unknown, this I will proclaim to you. The God that made the world and all things in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in temples made with hands. read more.
Men's hands do not serve him as if he needed anything. He gives life and breath to all. From one person he made every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. He determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation. God did this so man could seek him and might find him. He is not far from each one of us.

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. That which is known about God is clear to them, for God revealed it to them. His invisible attributes are clearly seen since the creation of the world. The things made prove His eternal power and divine nature. Mankind has no excuse, read more.
for when they knew God, they did not glorify him as God. They did not thank him and were vain in their reasoning, for their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. God gave them up to uncleanness because of the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. They changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creation more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections for even their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature. Also the men left the natural use of the woman and burned in their lust, one toward another; men with men working that which is obscene. They receive full recompense due for their error. They did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so God gave them over to a reprobate (depraved) mind, to do things that are not fitting. They are filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, and unmerciful. They know the judgment of God, that those who commit such things are worthy of death! And yet, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who do them.

You who judge have no excuse. For when you judge another you condemn yourself. After all you do the same things. We are sure that the judgment of God, according to truth, is against those who commit such things. What do you reason O man? When you judge these things, and you also do them, do you think that you will escape the judgment of God? read more.
Do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering? Do you not know that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Thanks to your stubborn and unrepentant heart, you store up wrath for yourself, in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. He will render to each according to his works. [He offers] everlasting life for those who search for incorruptible glory and honor by enduring in good works. Those who are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will receive wrath and indignation. [There will be] tribulation and distress on every person who works evil, for the Jew first and for the Greek. [There will be] glory, honor and peace to every one who does good works, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. God is not partial! (God does not play favorites!) For all who have sinned without law will perish without law. All who have sinned under law will be judged under law. The hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be righteous. When those of the nations, who have no law, practice by nature the things of the law they are a law to themselves even though they do not have any law. They show the work of the law written in their hearts. Their conscience also bears witness, and their thoughts accuse or excuse them.

You know that you were of the nations, carried away and led by mute idols.

We are Jews by birth, and not sinners from the nations.

For the things that are done by them in secret is a shame even to speak about.


You have spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and the disgusting worship of idols (false gods). They think it strange that you do not run with them in wild and reckless living and they speak evil about you.


Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. read more.
When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things. In the past he let all nations to walk in their own ways. He has not left himself without witness. For he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Even with these words they found it hard to keep the crowd from sacrificing to them.


They knew about it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the country around them. They preached the good news there, too. A man with crippled feet sat in Lystra. He had never walked for he was lame from birth. read more.
He heard Paul speaking. Paul looked intently at him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice: Stand up on your feet! And he leaped up and walked. Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things. In the past he let all nations to walk in their own ways. He has not left himself without witness. For he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Even with these words they found it hard to keep the crowd from sacrificing to them. Jews from Antioch and Iconium took control of the crowd. They persuaded the people to stone Paul. Then they threw him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. The disciples gathered around him and he stood up. They went into the city and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. After they preached the good news to that city and taught many, they returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

Paul arrived at Derbe and Lystra where he saw a disciple named Timothy. He was the son of a Jewish woman, and his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.


and also persecutions and sufferings. The things that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. Out of them the Lord delivered me.

They knew about it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the country around them. They preached the good news there, too. A man with crippled feet sat in Lystra. He had never walked for he was lame from birth. read more.
He heard Paul speaking. Paul looked intently at him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice: Stand up on your feet! And he leaped up and walked. Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things. In the past he let all nations to walk in their own ways. He has not left himself without witness. For he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Even with these words they found it hard to keep the crowd from sacrificing to them. Jews from Antioch and Iconium took control of the crowd. They persuaded the people to stone Paul. Then they threw him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. The disciples gathered around him and he stood up. They went into the city and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. After they preached the good news to that city and taught many, they returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. They strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith. They said, We must enter the kingdom of God through much tribulation. When they had ordained elders in every congregation they prayed with fasting. They commended them to God, on whom they believed.


Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. read more.
When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things. In the past he let all nations to walk in their own ways. He has not left himself without witness. For he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Even with these words they found it hard to keep the crowd from sacrificing to them.


I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me: Do not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers. You have the witness from Jesus: worship God! For the witness from Jesus is the spirit (mind-set) of prophecy.

I John saw these things and heard them. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. He said to me: Do not do that, for I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and of those who obey the words of this book: worship God.

I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt. Do not have any other god. Do not make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth, or in the water. read more.
Do not worship them or serve them. I, Jehovah your God, am a God demanding exclusive devotion. (I do not tolerate rivals.) I will not share your affection with any other god. I punish children for their parents' sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

I am Jehovah your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Do not have any other god but me. Do not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above, or on the earth below, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: read more.
Do not bow down to them. Do not serve them! For I Jehovah your God am a totally demanding zealous God. I require exclusive devotion and punish the fathers and children who hate me to the third and fourth generation.

Jehovah made an agreement with them and gave them orders, saying: You are to have no other gods. You are not to worship them or be their servants or make them offerings. Jehovah took you out of the land of Egypt with his great power and his outstretched arm. He is your God, to whom you are to give worship and make offerings: You are to obey and do forever the law he put in writing for you. You are to have no other gods. read more.
You are to keep in memory the agreement I made with you. You are to have no other gods.


You must have no strange god among you. Do not worship any foreign god.

I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD. I brought you out of Egypt. You have known no god besides me. There is no savior except me.

Jehovah has sent all his servants the prophets to you. Yet, you have not listened or paid attention to them. The prophets said: Turn from your evil ways and the evil you have done, and live in the land that Jehovah permanently gave to you and your ancestors. Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them. Do not make me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. Then I will not harm you.

Cornelius met Peter and fell down at his feet with adoration for him. Stand up, Peter said, as he lifted him up, I am also a man.

A man with crippled feet sat in Lystra. He had never walked for he was lame from birth. He heard Paul speaking. Paul looked intently at him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice: Stand up on your feet! And he leaped up and walked. read more.
Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things. In the past he let all nations to walk in their own ways. He has not left himself without witness. For he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Even with these words they found it hard to keep the crowd from sacrificing to them.