53 Bible Verses about Preaching, Effects Of

while the Apostles with great force of conviction delivered their testimony as to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.

Thence they sailed to Antioch, where they had previously been commended to the grace of God in connexion with the work which they had now completed. Upon their arrival they called the Church together and proceeded to report in detail all that God, working with them, had done, and how He had opened for the Gentiles the door of faith.

But what I am I am by the grace of God, and His grace bestowed upon me did not prove ineffectual. But I labored more strenuously than all the rest--yet it was not I, but God's grace working with me. But whether it is I or they, this is the way we preach and the way that you came to believe.

Christ did not send me to baptize, but to proclaim the Good News; and not in merely wise words--lest the Cross of Christ should be deprived of its power. For the Message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are on the way to perdition, but it is the power of God to those whom He is saving. For so it stands written, "I will exhibit the nothingness of the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will bring to nought."read more.
Where is your wise man? Where your expounder of the Law? Where your investigator of the questions of this present age? Has not God shown the world's wisdom to be utter foolishness? For after the world by its wisdom--as God in His wisdom had ordained--had failed to gain the knowledge of God, God was pleased, by the apparent foolishness of the Message which we preach, to save those who accepted it. Seeing that Jews demand miracles, and Greeks go in search of wisdom, while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified--to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because that which the world deems foolish in God is wiser than men's wisdom, and that which it deems feeble in God is mightier than men's might.

And as for myself, brethren, when I came to you, it was not with surpassing power of eloquence or earthly wisdom that I came, announcing to you that which God had commanded me to bear witness to. For I determined to be utterly ignorant, when among you, of everything except of Jesus Christ, and of Him as having been crucified. And so far as I myself was concerned, I came to you in conscious feebleness and in fear and in deep anxiety.read more.
And my language and the Message that I proclaimed were not adorned with persuasive words of earthly wisdom, but depended upon truths which the Spirit taught and mightily carried home; so that your trust might rest not on the wisdom of man but on the power of God.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim Good News to the poor; He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners of war and recovery of sight to the blind: to send away free those whom tyranny has crushed, to proclaim the year of acceptance with the Lord."

At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all met in one place; when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where they were sitting; and they saw tongues of what looked like fire distributing themselves over the assembly, and on the head of each person a tongue alighted.read more.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages according as the Spirit gave them words to utter. Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world. So when this noise was heard, they came crowding together, and were amazed because everyone heard his own language spoken. They were beside themselves with wonder, and exclaimed, "Are not all these speakers Galilaeans? How then does each of us hear his own native language spoken by them? Some of us are Parthians, Medes, Elamites. Some are inhabitants of Mesopotamia, of Judaea or Cappadocia, of Pontus or the Asian Province, of Phrygia or Pamphylia, of Egypt or of the parts of Africa towards Cyrene. Others are visitors from Rome--being either Jews or converts from heathenism--and others are Cretans or Arabians. Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done."

While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message. And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,read more.
"Can any one forbid the use of water, and object to these persons being baptized--men who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?" And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.

And my language and the Message that I proclaimed were not adorned with persuasive words of earthly wisdom, but depended upon truths which the Spirit taught and mightily carried home; so that your trust might rest not on the wisdom of man but on the power of God.

And pray at the same time for us also, that God may open for us a door for preaching, for us to tell the truth concerning Christ for the sake of which I am even a prisoner. Then I shall proclaim it fully, as it is my duty to do.

And now, Lord, listen to their threats, and enable Thy servants to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage, whilst Thou stretchest out Thine arm to cure men, and to give signs and marvels through the name of Thy holy Servant Jesus." When they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled shook, and they were, one and all, filled with the Holy Spirit, and proceeded to tell God's Message with boldness.

So the Twelve called together the general body of the disciples and said, "It does not seem fitting that we Apostles should neglect the delivery of God's Message and minister at tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among yourselves seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, and we will appoint them to undertake this duty. But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the delivery of the Message."

Now there were in Antioch, in the Church there--as Prophets and teachers--barnabas, Symeon surnamed 'the black,' Lucius the Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch's foster-brother) While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me, now at once, Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them." So, after fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, they let them go.read more.
They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleuceia, and from there sailed to Cyprus. Having reached Salamis, they began to announce God's Message in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as their assistant.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, asking that the Lord's Message may be spread rapidly and its glory be displayed, as it was displayed among you;

For Good News has been brought to us as truly as to them; but the message they heard failed to benefit them, because they were not one in faith with those who gave heed to it.

And for this further reason we render unceasing thanks to God, that when you received God's Message from our lips, it was as no mere message from men that you embraced it, but as--what it really is--God's Message, which also does its work in the hearts of you who believe.

There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark! there is One greater than Jonah here.

There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and mark! One greater than Jonah is here.

About this time John the Baptist made his appearance, preaching in the Desert of Judaea. "Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand." He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying aloud, 'In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'"read more.
This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a loincloth of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey. Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley-- and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins.

"The voice of one crying aloud: 'In the Desert prepare a road for the Lord: Make His highways straight.'" So John the Baptizer came, and was in the Desert proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for forgiveness of sins. There went out to him people of all classes from Judaea, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem of all ranks, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, making open confession of their sins.

John went into all the district about the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying aloud! 'In the Desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight. Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill levelled down, the crooked places shall be turned into straight roads, and the rugged ways into smooth;read more.
and then shall all mankind see God's salvation.'"

But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed; and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about 5,000.

"Repent," replied Peter, "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you belongs the promise, and to your children, and to all who are far off, whoever the Lord our God may call." And with many more appeals he solemnly warned and entreated them, saying, "Escape from this crooked generation."read more.
Those, therefore, who joyfully welcomed his Message were baptized; and on that one day about three thousand persons were added to them;

Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon living there, who had been practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans, pretending that he was more than human. To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the great Power." His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.read more.
But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike. Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained in close attendance on Philip, and was full of amazement at seeing such signs and such great miracles performed.

The Jews at Beroea were of a nobler disposition than those in Thessalonica, for they very readily received the Message, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether it was as Paul stated. As the result many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the Greeks--gentlewomen of good position, and men.

But let me recall to you, brethren, the Good News which I brought you, which you accepted, and on which you are standing, through which also you are obtaining salvation, if you bear in mind the words in which I proclaimed it--unless indeed your faith has been unreal from the very first.

and, after proclaiming the Good News to the people there and gaining a large number of converts, they retraced their steps to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. Everywhere they strengthened the disciples by encouraging them to hold fast to the faith, and warned them saying, "It is through many afflictions that we must make our way into the Kingdom of God."

To Him who has it in His power to make you strong, as declared in the Good News which I am spreading, and the proclamation concerning Jesus Christ, in harmony with the unveiling of the Truth which in the periods of past Ages remained unuttered, but has now been brought fully to light, and by the command of the God of the Ages has been made known by the writings of the Prophets among all the Gentiles to win them to obedience to the faith-- to God, the only wise, through Jesus Christ, even to Him be the glory through all the Ages! Amen.

And He Himself appointed some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, in order fully to equip His people for the work of serving--for the building up of Christ's body-- till we all of us arrive at oneness in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and at mature manhood and the stature of full-grown men in Christ.read more.
So we shall no longer be babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous cunning, making use of every shifting device to mislead. But we shall lovingly hold to the truth, and shall in all respects grow up into union with Him who is our Head, even Christ. Dependent on Him, the whole body--its various parts closely fitting and firmly adhering to one another-- grows by the aid of every contributory link, with power proportioned to the need of each individual part, so as to build itself up in a spirit of love.

As therefore you have received the Christ, even Jesus our Lord, live and act in vital union with Him; having the roots of your being firmly planted in Him, and continually building yourselves up in Him, and always being increasingly confirmed in the faith as you were taught it, and abounding in it with thanksgiving.

But they went out and made proclamation everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming their Message by the signs which accompanied it.

Then Jesus travelled through all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and infirmity among the people. Thus His fame spread through all Syria; and they brought all the sick to Him, the people who were suffering from various diseases and pains--demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He cured them. And great crowds followed Him, coming from Galilee, from the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, and from beyond the district on the other side of the Jordan.

Then calling the Twelve together He conferred on them power and authority over all the demons and to cure diseases; and sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to cure the sick. And He commanded them, "Take nothing for your journey; neither stick nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have an extra under garment.read more.
Whatever house you enter, make that your home, and from it start afresh. Wherever they refuse to receive you, as you leave that town shake off the very dust from your feet as a protest against them." So they departed and visited village after village, spreading the Good News and performing cures everywhere.

These twelve Jesus sent on a mission, after giving them their instructions: "Go not," He said, "among the Gentiles, and enter no Samaritan town; but, instead of that, go to the lost sheep of Israel's race. And as you go, preach and say, 'The Kingdom of the Heavens is close at hand.'read more.
Cure the sick, raise the dead to life, cleanse lepers, drive out demons: you have received without payment, give without payment. "Provide no gold, nor even silver nor copper to carry in your pockets; no bag for your journey, nor change of linen, nor shoes, nor stick; for the labourer deserves his food. "Whatever town or village you enter, inquire for some good man; and make his house your home till you leave the place. When you enter the house, salute it; and if the house deserves it, the peace you invoke shall come upon it. If not, your peace shall return to you. And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen to your Message, as you leave that house or town, shake off the very dust from your feet.

Then summoning the Twelve to Him, He proceeded to send them out by twos, and gave them authority over the foul spirits. He charged them to take nothing for the journey except a stick; no bread, no bag, and not a penny in their pockets, but to go wearing sandals. "And do not," He said, "put on an extra under garment.read more.
Wherever you enter a house, make it your home till you leave that place. But wherever they will not receive you or listen to you, when you leave shake off the very dust from under your feet to bear witness concerning them."

And now, Lord, listen to their threats, and enable Thy servants to proclaim Thy Message with fearless courage, whilst Thou stretchest out Thine arm to cure men, and to give signs and marvels through the name of Thy holy Servant Jesus."

while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there. Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did. For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many possessed by them, and many paralytics and lame persons were restored to health.read more.
And there was great joy in that city.

At Iconium the Apostles went together to the Jewish synagogue and preached, with the result that a great number both of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who had refused obedience stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their minds against the brethren. Yet Paul and Barnabas remained there for a considerable time, speaking freely and relying on the Lord, while He bore witness to the Message of His grace by permitting signs and marvels to be done by them.

When Jesus had concluded this discourse, the crowds were filled with amazement at His teaching, for He had been teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their Scribes taught.

So He came down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, where He frequently taught the people on the Sabbath days. And they were greatly impressed by His teaching, because He spoke with the language of authority.

So they came to Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath He went to the synagogue and began to teach. The people listened with amazement to His teaching--for there was authority about it: it was very different from that of the Scribes--

Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world. So when this noise was heard, they came crowding together, and were amazed because everyone heard his own language spoken. They were beside themselves with wonder, and exclaimed, "Are not all these speakers Galilaeans?read more.
How then does each of us hear his own native language spoken by them? Some of us are Parthians, Medes, Elamites. Some are inhabitants of Mesopotamia, of Judaea or Cappadocia, of Pontus or the Asian Province, of Phrygia or Pamphylia, of Egypt or of the parts of Africa towards Cyrene. Others are visitors from Rome--being either Jews or converts from heathenism--and others are Cretans or Arabians. Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done." They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one another, "What can this mean?"

As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken--and also discovered that they were illiterate persons, untrained in the schools--they were surprised; and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus. And seeing the man standing with them--the man who had been cured--they had no reply to make.

Leaving that place He came into His own country, accompanied by His disciples. On the Sabbath He proceeded to teach in the synagogue; and many, as they heard Him, were astonished. "Where did he acquire all this?" they asked. "What is this wisdom that has been given to him? And what are these marvellous miracles which his hands perform? Is not this the carpenter, Mary's son, the brother of James and Joses, Jude and Simon? And do not his sisters live here among us?" So they turned angrily away.read more.
But Jesus said to them, "There is no Prophet without honour except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own home." And He could not do any miracle there, except that He laid His hands on a few who were out of health and cured them; and He wondered at their unbelief. So He went round the adjacent villages, teaching.

And He came into His own country and proceeded to teach in their synagogue, so that they were filled with astonishment and exclaimed, "Where did he obtain such wisdom, and these wondrous powers? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and Judah? And his sisters--are they not all living here among us? Where then did he get all this?"read more.
So they turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to them, "There is no prophet left without honour except in his own country and among his own family." And He performed but few mighty deeds there because of their want of faith.

Seeing that Jews demand miracles, and Greeks go in search of wisdom, while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified--to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness,

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred within him when he noticed that the city was full of idols. So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the other worshippers, and in the market place, day after day, with those whom he happened to meet. A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him. Some of them asked, "What has this beggarly babbler to say?" "His business," said others, "seems to be to cry up some foreign gods." This was because he had been telling the Good News of Jesus and the Resurrection.read more.
Then they took him and brought him up to the Areopagus, asking him, "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is? For the things you are saying sound strange to us. We should therefore like to be told exactly what they mean." (For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to devote their whole leisure to telling or hearing about something new.) So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the Areopagus, spoke as follows: "Men of Athens, I perceive that you are in every respect remarkably religious. For as I passed along and observed the things you worship, I found also an altar bearing the inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' "The Being, therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere, Him I now proclaim to you. GOD who made the universe and everything in it--He, being Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries built by men. Nor is He ministered to by human hands, as though He needed anything--but He Himself gives to all men life and breath and all things. He caused to spring from one forefather people of every race, for them to live on the whole surface of the earth, and marked out for them an appointed span of life and the boundaries of their homes; that they might seek God, if perhaps they could grope for Him and find Him. Yes, though He is not far from any one of us. For it is in closest union with Him that we live and move and have our being; as in fact some of the poets in repute among yourselves have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imagine that His nature resembles gold or silver or marble, or anything sculptured by the art and inventive faculty of man. Those times of ignorance God viewed with indulgence. But now He commands all men everywhere to repent, seeing that He has appointed a day on which, before long, He will judge the world in righteousness, through the instrumentality of a man whom He has pre-destined to this work, and has made the fact certain to every one by raising Him from the dead." When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection of dead men, some began to scoff. But others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."

At this point Felix, who was fairly well informed about the new faith, adjourned the trial, saying to the Jews, "When the Tribune Lysias comes down, I will enter carefully into the matter." And he gave orders to the Captain that Paul was to be kept in custody, but be treated with indulgence, and that his personal friends were not to be prevented from showing him kindness. Not long after this, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, a Jewess, and sending for Paul, listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.read more.
But when he dealt with the subjects of justice, self-control, and the judgement which was soon to come, Felix became alarmed and said, "For the present leave me, and when I can find a convenient opportunity I will send for you." At the same time he hoped that Paul would give him money; and for this reason he sent for him the oftener to converse with him.

When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection of dead men, some began to scoff. But others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."

But others, scornfully jeering, said, "They are brim-full of sweet wine."

As soon, however, as the Jews of Thessalonica learnt that God's Message had been proclaimed by Paul at Beroea, they came there also, and incited the mob to a riot.

While they were saying this to the people, the Priests, the Commander of the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees came upon them, highly incensed at their teaching the people and proclaiming in the case of Jesus the Resurrection from among the dead. They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody till the next day; for it was already evening.

So they brought them and made them stand in front of the Sanhedrin. And then the High Priest questioned them. "We strictly forbad you to teach in that name--did we not?" he said. "And see, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and are trying to make us responsible for that man's death!" Peter and the other Apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than man.read more.
The God of our forefathers has raised Jesus to life, whom you crucified and put to death. God has exalted Him to His right hand as Chief Leader and as Saviour, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. And we--and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him--are witnesses as to these things." Infuriated at getting this answer, they were disposed to kill the Apostles. But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, held in honour by all the people, rose from his seat and requested that they should be sent outside the court for a few minutes. "Israelites," he said, "be careful what you are about to do in dealing with these men. Years ago Theudas appeared, professing to be a person of importance, and a body of men, some four hundred in number, joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and annihilated. After him, at the time of the Census, came Judas, the Galilaean, and was the leader in a revolt. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered. And now I tell you to hold aloof from these men and leave them alone--for if this scheme or work is of human origin, it will come to nothing. But if it is really from God, you will be powerless to put them down--lest perhaps you find yourselves to be actually fighting against God." His advice carried conviction. So they called the Apostles in, and--after flogging them--ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go.