46 Bible Verses about ethics, and grace

For evil thoughts, murder, extramarital affairs, sexual immorality, stealing, perjury, slander --- [all these] come from a person's heart,

For from within, out of people's hearts, proceed evil thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, extramarital affairs, greedy desires, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained indecency, envy, slander, arrogance and foolishness.

For we know that the law of Moses is spiritual [i.e., from the Holy Spirit in origin and character], but I am fleshly, sold as a slave to sin. [Note: "Flesh" throughout this section refers to a person's natural inclinations to sin]. For I do not [really] understand what I am doing; I practice what I do not want to and I hate what I do. [Note: This highly controversial section (verses 14b-25) is here viewed as the struggles of the apostle Paul after his conversion, and by extension, of all Christians. See Bruce, pages 150ff; Murray, pages 255ff; Lard, pages 236ff].

Now they knew who God was, but they did not honor Him as God or thank Him [for their blessings]. Instead they engaged in their useless speculations and their foolish minds were filled with [spiritual] darkness.

for everyone has sinned and falls short of God's glory [i.e., His approval, or His perfect character].

But the Scriptures indicate that everything [i.e., everyone] is under the control of sin, so that the promise [of never ending life] could be available [only] to those who have faith in Jesus Christ.

If we claim to have no sinful practices [in our lives], we are self-deceived and are not being truthful about the matter.

So then, my dear ones, just as you people were always obedient [to my teaching] when I was there with you, so now, in my absence [also], be [obedient] all the more. [Continue to] complete your own salvation [i.e., by living faithfully to the end. See Rom. 13:11] with fear and trembling [i.e., with a reverent and submissive spirit],

Therefore, you must [attempt to] be complete, just as your heavenly Father is [already] complete.

"Not every person who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but [only] that person who does what my Father in heaven requires.

Jesus answered him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is [only] One who is good [i.e., God]. But if you want to enter [never ending] life, [then] obey His commandments."

I am using human reasoning because of your human weakness. For just as you once offered the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurity and to wickedness, which led to further wickedness; so now [you should] offer the parts of your body as slaves to do what is right, which leads to holy living.

[So], since we have these promises [See 6:16-18], dear ones, we should purify ourselves from everything that pollutes [our] body and spirit while living lives completely separated [from sin], out of reverence for God.

But you, man of God, run from these things [See verses 3-10], and pursue right living and godliness, having faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

And for this very reason, you people should make every effort to develop goodness along with your faith, and knowledge along with your goodness, and self-control along with your knowledge, and endurance along with your self-control, and godliness along with your endurance, and brotherly kindness along with your godliness, and with your brotherly kindness, develop love.

So, my dearly loved ones, while you are waiting for these things [to happen], do your best to be found at peace with God, pure and blameless in His sight.

And every person who has set his hope on this [i.e., of being like Jesus], will live [as] purely [as possible], just as He [i.e., Jesus Himself] is pure.

What shall we say then? Is the law of Moses sinful? Certainly not! For I would not have known what sin was if it had not been for the law. For [example]; I would not have known [what it meant] to covet [i.e., have a strong desire for what belongs to someone else] except that the law said [Ex. 20:17], "You must not covet."

But we [apostles] did not receive the spirit of the world [i.e., human wisdom. See verse 6], but the Holy Spirit from God, so that we could understand what was freely given to us from God [i.e., the gift of inspiration. See verses 9-10]. These also are the things we [apostles] speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but [in words] taught by the Holy Spirit. We use [or, combine] Spirit-taught words to express [or, with] Spirit-given truth. Now the natural person [Note: Since this person is contrasted with the spiritual person of verse 15, it is taken here to mean the person without the Holy Spirit] does not receive the things [i.e., truths] revealed by the Holy Spirit of God, because they are [considered] foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them because they must be discerned by using spiritual judgment [i.e., judgment aided by the Holy Spirit].

But, I am saying to you, live in harmony with the Holy Spirit's [desire for you] and [then] you will not [always] be giving in to the wrong desires of your body.

If you love me, you will obey my commandments. "And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper [i.e., besides me], who will be with you forever. He is the Holy Spirit of truth [i.e., who reveals truth], whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him or know Him. [But] you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be within you.

For what the law was not able to do [for mankind], since it was [too] weak [to deliver them from condemnation] because fleshly people [were unable to obey it perfectly], God condemned sin in the flesh [i.e., sin was declared evil and its power over man broken]. God did this by sending His own Son in a body like sinful man's, and to destroy sin, so that the requirements of the law could be [considered] fulfilled in us, who do not live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, but according to [the promptings of] the Holy Spirit. For those people who are [controlled] by the flesh think about [i.e., desire] what the flesh wants; but those who are [controlled] by the Holy Spirit [desire] what the Holy Spirit wants.

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against [practicing] these things.

But we ought to thank God for you always, brothers [who are] dearly loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning [Note: Some manuscripts use the Greek word for "firstfruits" instead of "beginning" here, but it is difficult to know in what sense the Thessalonian Christians were "first"], in order to be saved through being set apart by the Holy Spirit and through belief of the truth [of the Gospel].

These people have been [specially] selected, and [their acceptance was] pre-planned by God the Father, and they were set apart through [the work of] the Holy Spirit. This resulted in their obedience and sprinkling [Note: This is a figurative reference to the Old Testament practice of cleansing, See Exodus 24:7-8] by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God's unearned favor and peace be continually upon you.

God's divine power has given us everything [necessary] for [abundant] life and godly living, through the knowledge of Him [i.e., God], who called us by His own splendor and goodness.

"I am the vine; you people are the branches. The person who remains united to me, and I to him, will bear much fruit. For you cannot do anything if [you are] separated from me.

Every temptation that you have experienced is one that commonly happens to people. But God is dependable and will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability [to cope with it]; [instead] He will provide, along with the temptation, also a way of escaping [it], so you people will be able to endure it.

You people should put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to withstand the devil's schemes.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to motivate the desire and to carry out what pleases Him.

For God did not give us a spirit [i.e., a disposition] that makes us cowards but one that gives us power and love and self-control.

For since He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is [also] able to help those who [suffer when they] are tempted.

But He gives [us] more unearned favor [i.e., to overcome the world]. Therefore, the Scripture says [Prov. 3:34], "God opposes proud people, but gives unearned favor to those who are humble."

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to [spiritual] death? Thank God [that I can be rescued] through [the power of] Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, I personally [try to] serve God's law with my mind, but [all too often] I serve the law of sin with my flesh [i.e., submitting in weakness to my human desires].

He will also make you stand firm [in the faith] to the end [of your lives], so that you will be [considered] without just blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ [returns].

And you should put on the new person who has been [re-] created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

and have put on the new person, who is being [daily] renewed with full knowledge, according to the image of God, who [re-] created him.

I am confident of this very thing, that God, who began something good among you, will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ's [return].

May the Lord strengthen your hearts so you will be [found] without just blame and holy, in the presence of our God and Father, when our Lord Jesus Christ returns with all of His holy ones [i.e., angels. See Mark 8:38; II Thess. 1:7].

Dearly loved ones, we are God's children now, but it has not yet been revealed [to us] what we will be [in the future life, Luke 20:34-36]. But, we do know this, however, that when Jesus is revealed [i.e., at His second coming], we will be like Him [I Cor. 15:49], for we will see what He really looks like!

For [that class of] persons whom God knew beforehand He also predetermined to become conformed to the [spiritual] likeness of His Son, so that He could be the firstborn One among [His] many brothers [i.e., so He could be the preeminent example to all His followers. See Heb. 2:11].

But all of us [Christians], with unveiled faces, see the Lord's splendor reflected, as [though we were] looking in a mirror, and [so] are being transformed into His likeness in ever-increasing splendor. This is [the work] of the Lord, [who is] the Holy Spirit.

But, since God has promised it, we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will prevail.

The Son of man will send out His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all those people who cause others to fall away [from God] and those who [continue to] sin. He will throw these people into the fiery furnace where there will be crying and excruciating pain. Then the people who did what was right will shine out like the sun in their Father's kingdom. The person who has ears [to hear with] ought to listen [to this] carefully.

But the place for cowards, and unbelievers, and disgusting people [i.e., because of their terrible sins], and murderers, and sexually immoral people, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will be the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This is the second death."

On the outside [of the city] are the dogs [Note: This probably refers to people who practiced sexual perversions. See Deut. 23:17] and the sorcerers, and the sexually immoral people, and the murderers, and the idolaters and every person who loves and practices falsehood.