'Near' in the Bible

‘This people honors Me with their lips,But their heart is far away from Me.

When they approached Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples [ahead],

When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his [share of the] fruit.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its young shoots become tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near;

so you, too, when you see all these things [taking place], know for certain that He is near, right at the door.

“So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming.

He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time [to suffer and atone for sin] is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’”

Now after the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples,

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: as soon as its branch becomes tender and it puts out its leaves, you recognize that summer is near.

Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, know [for certain] that He is near, right at the door.

Now as He approached the city gate, a dead man was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her [in the funeral procession].

When the apostles returned, they told Him all that they had done. He took them with Him and He privately withdrew [across the Jordan] to a city called Bethsaida.

‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you [breaking all ties]; yet understand this, that the kingdom of God has come near [and you rejected it].’

“Sell your possessions (show compassion) and give [donations] to the poor. Provide money belts for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing and inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Now all the tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews] were coming near Jesus to listen to Him.

“Now his older son was in the field; and when he returned and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

As He was approaching Jericho [on His way to Jerusalem], it happened that a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.

Then Jesus stopped and ordered that the blind man be led to Him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him,

When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples,

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by [hostile] armies, then understand [with confident assurance] that her complete destruction is near.

Now when these things begin to occur, stand tall and lift up your heads [in joy], because [suffering ends as] your redemption is drawing near.”

as soon as they put out leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is near.

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching.

While He was still speaking, a crowd came, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve [disciples], was leading the way for them. He approached Jesus to kiss Him.

Then they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as if He were going farther.

Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—

So He arrived at a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the tract of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;

Now in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades).

[Now some] other small boats from Tiberias had come in near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

Now the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) was approaching.

Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?”

Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away;

And many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

So Jesus, seeing His mother, and the disciple whom He loved (esteemed) standing near, said to His mother, “[Dear] woman, look, [here is] your son!”

Therefore, because of the Jewish day of Preparation, and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (Olive Grove), which is near Jerusalem, [only] a Sabbath day’s journey (less than one mile) away.

“But as the time [for the fulfillment] of the promise which God had made to Abraham was approaching, the [Hebrew] people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

As he traveled he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him [displaying the glory and majesty of Christ];

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Come to us without delay.”

He said to them, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with or befriend a Gentile, or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I am not to call anyone common or [ceremonially] unclean.

Now Barnabas wanted to take [his cousin] John, who was called Mark, along with them.

[At this] the high priest Ananias ordered those who stood beside him to strike Paul on the mouth.

But those who stood near Paul said, “Are you insulting the high priest of God?”

So now you, along with the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), notify the commander to bring Paul down to you, as if you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly. But we are ready to kill him before he comes near [the place].”

and hugging the shore with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea [on the south side of Crete].

The fourteenth night had come and we were drifting and being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors began to suspect that they were approaching some land.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach—

But now [at this very moment] in Christ Jesus you who once were [so very] far away [from God] have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

And He came and preached the good news of peace to you [Gentiles] who were far away, and peace to those [Jews] who were near.

For it is through Him that we both have a [direct] way of approach in one Spirit to the Father.

He certainly was sick and close to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me [which distance prevented you from rendering personally].

Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near.

Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

but if it persistently produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

But, beloved, even though we speak to you in this way, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and of things that accompany salvation.

let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom.

You too, be patient; strengthen your hearts [keep them energized and firmly committed to God], because the coming of the Lord is near.

The end and culmination of all things is near. Therefore, be sound-minded and self-controlled for the purpose of prayer [staying balanced and focused on the things of God so that your communication will be clear, reasonable, specific and pleasing to Him.]

For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things which are written in it [heeding them and taking them to heart]; for the time [of fulfillment] is near.

And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time [of their fulfillment] is near.