Reference: Miracles
Fausets
Three distinct New Testament Greek words represent miracles: seemeion, "a sign"; teras, "a prodigy"; dunamis, "a mighty work." Septuagint uses seemeion and teras for Hebrew 'owt and mopheth (Ex 7:9). Seemeion, "sign," views the miracle as evidence of a divine commission: Joh 3:2, "no man can do these signs (Greek) which Thou doest except God be with him" (Joh 9:30,33; 15:24; Lu 7:19-22); teras, "prodigy" or "wonder," expresses the effect on the spectator; dunamis, "mighty work," marks its performance by a superhuman power (Ac 2:22; 2Co 12:12; 2Th 2:9). The "sign" is God's seal, attestation, or proof of a revelation being genuine. Jesus' miracles were not merely wonders but signs; signs not merely of His power, but of the nature of His ministry and of His divine person.
A grand distinction peculiar to Christianity is, it won the world to it in an age of high civilization, through a few preachers of humble position, on the evidence of miracles. Basing its claim on miracles the creed of the slave became eventually the faith of the Caesars. Muhammed on the contrary, even in a half-enlightened age and country, pretended no miracle. Christ and His apostles still less than Mahomet among friends would have dared to allege miracles, in the midst of hostile Jews and skeptical Romans, unless they were true. This claim is the more striking, since John the Baptist, though coming "in the spirit and power of Elias," the great miracle worker of the Old Testament, never claimed miraculous power; so far is Scripture from indiscriminately gratifying men's love of the marvelous at the cost of truth.
Similarly, Abraham, David, and other Old Testament heroes never appear as miracle workers. Early Christian writers, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Origen, occasionally appeal to miracles in proof of Christianity; but state that their pagan opponents, admitting the facts, attributed them to magic; which accounts for the fewness of their references to miracles. The Jewish writings, as the Sepher Toldoth Jeshu, also the extant fragments of Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian, admit the fact of the miracles, though ascribing them to magic and evil spirits. In the case of the resurrection (Mt 28:11-15) and the cure of the blind man (John 9) the Jews made a self confuted charge of fraud. The early Christian apologists allege in support of Christianity:
(1) the greatness, number, completeness, and publicity of the miracles;
(2) the beneficial tendency of the doctrine;
(3) the connection of the miracles with prophecy and the whole scheme of redemption from Adam to Christ. The miracles must have been altogether different from the wonders of exorcists, magicians, etc.; else they would not have gained for the gospel so wide and permanent an acceptance. The effect of Philip's ministry on the Samaritans, in opposition to Simon Magus (Acts 8), proves this. The holy character of Christ and His apostles, and the tendency of Christianity to promote truth and virtue, are against the origination of the miracles from evil spirits or jugglery. In the fourth century miracles had ceased (Chrysostom on 1 Corinthians 11-13); in the third, miracles are alleged, but are suspicious, as wrought among those already believing and predisposed to accept prodigies credulously. The ecclesiastical miracles are not attested by inspired writers. The apostles alone could transmit the power of working miracles to others. Cornelius was an exception, being the firstfruit of the Gentiles.
But Philip could not impart it; Peter and John must come to confer on his Samaritan converts miraculous gifts, by laying on of hands (Ac 8:15-20; 10:44-46; 19:6; Mr 16:17-18). Christianity being once proved and attested to us, the analogy of God's dealings leads us to expect He would leave it to make its way by ordinary means; the edifice being erected, the scaffolding is taken down; perpetual miracle is contrary to His ways. The ecclesiastical miracles alleged are ambiguous, or tentative, or legendary, i.e. resembling known products of human credulity and imposture. Many are childish, and palpably framed for superstitious believers, rather than as evidences capable of bearing critical scrutiny. Most of them are not told until long after their presumed occurrence. Herein the New Testament miracles wholly differ from them. The Christian miracles are:
(1) Recorded by contemporaries.
(2) In the same country.
(3) Not based on transient rumor, but confirmed by subsequent investigation, and recorded in independent accounts.
(4) Not naked history, but the history combined with the institution and with the religion of our day, as also with the time and place of the miracle recorded and of Christianity's origin.
(5) With particular specification of names, places, dates, and circumstances.
(6) Not requiring merely otiose assent, as the popular superstitions on which nothing depends, but claiming to regulate the opinions and acts of people.
(7) Not like popish miracles in Roman Catholic countries, in affirmation of opinions already formed, but performed amidst enemies, converting men from their most cherished prejudices; there was no anterior persuasion to lay hold of, Jesus' miracles gave birth to the sect; frauds might mix with the progress, but could not have place in the commencement of the religion.
(8) Not an imaginary perception, as Socrates' demon; the giving sight to the blind leaves a lasting effect; in those of a mixed nature the principal miracle is momentary, but some circumstance combined with it is permanent; Peter's vision might be a dream, but the message of Cornelius could not have been; the concurrence could only be supernatural.
(9) Not tentative, where out of many trials some succeed, as the ancient oracles, cures wrought by relics, etc.
(10) Not doubtful miracles, as the liquefaction of Januarius' blood, cures of nervous ailments.
(11) Not stories which can be resolved into exaggerations.
(12) Not gradual, but instantaneous for the most part (Lu 18:43); not incomplete; not merely temporary, but complete and lasting.
(13) Witnessed to at the cost of suffering and death. (Paley, Evidences of Christianity.)
A miracle is not a "violation of the laws of nature" (Hume), but the introduction of a new agent. Such introduction accords with human experience, for we see an intelligent agent often modifying the otherwise uniform laws of nature. "Experience" informs us of human free will counteracting the lower law of gravitation. Infinitely more can the divine will introduce a new element, counteracting, without destroying, lower physical law; the higher law for a time controls and suspends the action of the lower. Or, "law" being simply the expression of God's will, in miracles God's will intervenes, for certain moral ends, to suspend His ordinary mode of working. The wise men following the star, and then receiving further guidance from the Scripture word, illustrate the twofold revelation, God's works, and God's word, the highest guide. Both meet in the Incarnate Word (Matthew 2; 2Pe 1:19-21). As disturbance has entered the world by sin, as nature visibly attests, God must needs miraculously interfere to nullify that disturbance.
Hume alleged against miracles their contrariety to "experience," and that experience shows testimony to be often false. But "experience" is not to be limited to our time and knowledge. The "experience" of the witnesses for Christianity attests the truth of miracles. However improbable miracles are under ordinary circumstances, they are probable, nay necessary, to attest a religious revelation and a divine commission. "In whatever degree it is probable that a revelation should be communicated to mankind at all, in the same degree is it probable that miracles should be wrought" (Paley, Evidences of Christianity). That they are out of the ordinary course of nature, so far from being an objection, is just what they need to be in order to be fit signs to attest a revelation. It is as easy to God to continue the ordinary course of the rest of nature, with the change of one part, as of all the phenomena without any change. It is objected, miracles "interrupt the course of nature."
But as that course really compri
See Verses Found in Dictionary
"When Pharaoh says to you, "Perform a miraculous sign,' then you are to say to Aaron, "Take your staff and throw it in front of Pharaoh.' It will become a serpent."
""This is what the LORD says: "This is how you'll know that I am the LORD: Right now I'm going to strike the water of the Nile River with the staff that's in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. The fish in the Nile River will die and the river will stink. The Egyptians will be unable to drink water from the Nile River."'" read more. The LORD also told Moses, "Tell Aaron, "Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their Nile River, over their ponds, and over their reservoirs, and they'll become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in their wood and stone containers.'" Moses and Aaron did just what the LORD had commanded. Aaron raised his staff and struck the water in the Nile River in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and all the water in the Nile River turned to blood. The fish in the Nile River died and the river stank. The Egyptians were not able to drink water from the Nile River, and blood was throughout the land of Egypt.
Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow."
On that day I'll treat the land of Goshen where my people live differently so that swarms of insects won't be there. As a result, you will know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land. I'll make a distinction between my people and your people, and this sign will occur tomorrow."'"
The LORD set the time: "Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land."
Look! About this time tomorrow, I'll send a severe hail storm, such as has not happened in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.
The hail struck everything, including people and animals, outside in the fields throughout the land of Egypt. The hail struck all the vegetation of the fields and shattered all the trees in the orchards. Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelis were, was there no hail.
But if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I'm going to bring locusts into your territory. They'll cover the surface of the land so a person cannot see the ground, and they'll eat what is left for you of the residue from the hail. They'll also eat all your trees that grow in the orchards.
The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on all the territory of Egypt in great swarms. There had never been locusts like this before nor would there ever be again.
So Moses stretched his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else, nor could anyone get up from his place for three days. But there was light for all the Israelis in their dwellings.
And so at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.
The Israelis did this, some gathering much, some little.
The LORD told Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes,
All the people experienced the thunder and lightning, the sound of the ram's horn, and the smoking mountain. And as the people experienced it, they trembled and stood at a distance.
since the cloud of the LORD was over the tent by day, and the fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel in all their journeys.
You are to pay a ransom for the 273 first-born Israelis who exceed the census number of the descendants of Levi,
"The LORD declared these commands in a loud voice to your entire assembly on the mountain from out of the fire and dark clouds, and nothing more was added. He inscribed them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. When you heard the voice from the darkness while the mountain was blazing, all the leaders and elders of your tribes came to me and said:
"The clothes you wore did not wear out, nor did your feet blister during these 40 years.
"A prophet or a diviner of dreams may arise among you, give you an omen or a miracle that takes place, and then he may tell you, "Let's follow other gods (whom you have not known) and let's serve them.' Even though the sign or portent comes to pass, read more. you must not listen to the words of that prophet or that diviner of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to make known whether or not you'll continue to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. You must follow the LORD your God, fear him, observe his commandments, listen to his voice, serve him, and cling to him. That prophet or diviner of dreams must be executed, because he advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and because he lured you from the way in which the LORD your God instructed you to live. Purge the evil from among you."
the water flowing downstream from above stood still in a single location, a great distance away at Adam, a city near Zarethan. The water that flowed south toward the sea in the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.
Israel served the LORD for the entire lifetimes of Joshua and of the officials who outlived Joshua, that is, the ones who had personally known everything that the LORD had done for Israel.
The people served the LORD during the entire lifetime of Joshua as well as the lifetimes of all the elders who outlived Joshua and who had observed all the great deeds that the LORD had done for Israel.
The angel of the LORD answered him, "Why are you asking this about my name? It's "Wonderful.'" So Manoah prepared a young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a boulder to the LORD, who kept on performing miracles while Manoah and his wife watched continually.
He alone spreads out the heavens, he walks on the waves of the sea.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
"Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unblocked; then the lame will leap like deer, and the tongues of speechless people will sing for joy. Yes, waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will run through the desert;
to open blind eyes and to bring out those who are bound from their cells, and those sitting in darkness from prison.
"Surely he has borne our sufferings and carried our sorrows; yet we considered him stricken, and struck down by God, and afflicted.
"I kept on watching until the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothes were white, like snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne burned with flaming fire, and its wheels burned with fire. A river of fire flowed out from before him. Thousands upon thousands were serving him, with millions upon millions waiting before him. The court sat in judgment, and record books were unsealed. read more. "I continued watching because of the audacious words that the horn was speaking. I kept observing until the animal was killed and its body destroyed and given over to burning fire. Now as to the other animals, their authority was removed, but they were granted a reprieve from execution for an appointed period of time." "I continued to observe the night vision and look! someone like the Son of Man was coming, accompanied by heavenly clouds. He approached the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
"Then it will come about at a later time that I will pour out my Spirit on every person. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your elderly people will dream dreams, and your young people will see visions. Also at that time I will pour out my Spirit upon men and women servants. read more. I will display warnings in the heavens, and on the earth blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will be given over to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and terrifying Day of the LORD.
I will pour out on the house of David and on the residents of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and of supplications, and they will look to me the one whom they pierced.'"
Then he went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every illness among the people.
Suddenly, a leper came up to him, fell down before him, and said, "Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean."
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a centurion came up to him and begged him repeatedly,
When Jesus went into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed, sick with a fever.
When evening came, people brought to him many who were possessed by demons. He drove out the spirits by speaking a command and healed everyone who was sick. This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "It was he who took our illnesses away and removed our diseases."
He asked them, "Why are you afraid, you who have little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
All at once some people brought him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he told the paralyzed man, "Be courageous, son! Your sins are forgiven."
While Jesus was telling them these things, an official came up and fell down before him. "My daughter has just died," he said. "But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."
Just then a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his garment,
As Jesus was traveling on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" When he had gone into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can do this?" They told him, "Yes, Lord!" read more. Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith, let it be done for you!" And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly told them, "See to it that nobody knows about this."
As the men were going out, a man who couldn't talk because he was demon-possessed was brought to him.
Then Jesus began traveling throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every illness.
Now when John heard in prison about the activities of the Messiah, he sent a message by his disciples and asked him, "Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?" read more. Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and observe:
Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days, intending to accuse him of doing something wrong.
When Jesus became aware of this, he left that place. Many crowds followed him, and he healed all of them,
All the crowds were amazed and kept saying, "This man isn't the Son of David, is he?"
When he got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. He had compassion for them and healed their sick.
But Jesus told them, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat."
Shortly before dawn, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
When the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word throughout that region and brought him everyone who was sick. They kept begging him to let them touch just the tassel of his garment, and everyone who touched it was completely healed.
Suddenly, a Canaanite woman from that territory came near and began to shout, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed!"
Large crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, those unable to talk, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he healed them.
he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks. Then he broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, yet you can't interpret the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." Then he left them and went away.
Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
and said, "Sir, have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and suffers terribly. Often he falls into fire and often into water.
So Jesus told him, "In that case, the subjects are exempt. However, so that we don't offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you."
Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
Then Jesus went into the Temple, threw out everyone who was selling and buying in the Temple, and overturned the moneychangers' tables and the chairs of those who sold doves.
Blind and lame people came to him in the Temple, and he healed them.
because false messiahs and false prophets will appear and display great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
"Immediately after the troubles of those days, "The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken loose.'
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. So they met with the elders and agreed on a plan to give the soldiers a large amount of money. read more. They said, "Say that Jesus' disciples came at night and stole him while you were sleeping. If this is reported to the governor, we'll personally persuade him to keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money, did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are the Holy One of God!"
Just as Jesus stepped out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him.
But Jesus strictly ordered them not to let anyone know about this. He also told them to give her something to eat.
He couldn't perform a miracle there except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went around to the villages and continued teaching.
Then he told her, "Because you have said this, go! The demon has left your daughter."
Jesus ordered the people not to tell anyone, but the more he kept ordering them, the more they kept spreading the news.
As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him.
These are the signs that will accompany those who believe: In my name they'll drive out demons, they'll speak in new languages, and they'll pick up snakes with their hands.Even if they drink any deadly poison, it won't hurt them, and they'll place their hands on the sick, and they'll recover."
But he walked right through the middle of them and went away.
When he had finished speaking, he told Simon, "Push out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch."
Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were going along with him. As he approached the entrance to the city, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her.
Then he went up and touched the bier, and the men who were carrying it stopped. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"
and sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?" When the men had come to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, "Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?'" read more. At that time Jesus had healed many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. So he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have observed and heard: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear again, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news.
But some of them said, "He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons." Others, wanting to test Jesus, kept asking him for a sign from heaven.
A woman was there who had a spirit that had disabled her for eighteen years. She was hunched over and completely unable to stand up straight.
As he was going into a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance
As Jesus was approaching Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road begging.
Immediately the man could see again and began to follow Jesus, glorifying God. All the people saw this and gave praise to God.
But Jesus said, "No more of this!" So he touched the wounded man's ear and healed him.
The Jewish Passover was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Then the Jewish leaders asked him, "What sign can you show us as authority for doing these things?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will rebuild it." read more. The Jewish leaders said, "This sanctuary has been under construction for 46 years, and you're going to rebuild it in three days?" But the sanctuary he was speaking about was his own body.
While Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, many people believed in him because they saw the signs that he was doing.
He came to Jesus at night and told him, "Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher, because no one can perform these signs that you are doing unless God is with him."
When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him repeatedly to come down and heal his son, because he was about to die.
One particular man was there who had been ill for 38 years.
But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I, too, am working."
However, many in the crowd believed in him. They kept saying, "When the Messiah comes, he won't do more signs than this man has done, will he?"
Then the officers returned to the high priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him?" The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like that!"
As he was walking along, he observed a man who had been blind from birth.
The man answered them, "This is an amazing thing! You don't know where he comes from, yet he healed my eyes.
If this man were not from God, he couldn't do anything like that."
Then Jesus said, "I have come into this world to judge it, so that those who are blind may see and so that those who see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees who were near him overheard this and asked him, "We aren't blind, too, are we?" read more. Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you would not have any sin. But now that you insist, "We see,' your sin still exists."
If I hadn't done among them the actions that no one else did, they wouldn't have any sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
If I hadn't done among them the actions that no one else did, they wouldn't have any sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
When Jesus told them, "I AM," they backed away and fell to the ground.
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not recorded in this book. But these have been recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and so that through believing you may have life in his name.
He told them, "Throw the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you'll catch some." So they threw it out and were unable to haul it in because it was so full of fish.
"Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know.
"Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know.
However, Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold, but I'll give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus the Messiah from Nazareth, walk!"
you and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus from Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. He is "the stone that was rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone.' read more. There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved."
They went down and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Before this, he had not come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. read more. Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me this power too, so that when I lay my hands on someone, he will receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter told him, "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's free gift with money!
While Peter was still making this statement, the Holy Spirit fell on all the people who were listening to his message. Then the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the gentiles, too, read more. because they heard them speaking in foreign languages and praising God. Then Peter said,
When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in foreign languages and to prophesy.
But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that person be condemned! What we have told you in the past I am now telling you again: If anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that person be condemned!
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders,
You must realize, however, that in the last days difficult times will come. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, read more. unfeeling, uncooperative, slanderous, degenerate, brutal, hateful of what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. They will hold to an outward form of godliness but deny its power. Stay away from such people. For some of these men go into homes and deceive foolish women who are burdened with sins and swayed by all kinds of desires. These women are always studying but are never able to arrive at a full knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and their faith is a counterfeit.
while God added his testimony through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Therefore we regard the message of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp that is shining in a gloomy place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, read more. because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Look! He is coming in the clouds. Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. So be it! Amen.
I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it talked like a dragon. It uses all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and those living on it worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. read more. It performs spectacular signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, telling them to make an image for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived. The second beast was allowed to impart life to the image of the first beast so that the image of the beast could talk and order the execution of those who would not worship the image of the beast.
The beast was captured, along with the false prophet who had performed signs on its behalf. By these signs the false prophet had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
Hastings
MIRACLES
1. The narratives
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When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip the donkey with his staff.
you must not listen to the words of that prophet or that diviner of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to make known whether or not you'll continue to love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.
Whenever a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the oracle does not come about or the word is not fulfilled, then the LORD has not spoken it. The prophet will have spoken presumptuously, so you need not fear him."
Later that day, Joshua spoke to the LORD while the LORD was delivering the Amorites to the Israelis. This is what he said in the presence of Israel: "Sun, be still over Gibeon! Moon, stand in place in the Aijalon Valley!" So the sun remained still and the moon stood in place until the nation settled their score with their enemies. This is recorded, is it not, in the book of Jashar? The sun stood in place in the middle of the sky and seemed not to be in a hurry to set for nearly an entire day. read more. There has never been a day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD was fighting on behalf of Israel.
So Isaiah cried out to the LORD, who brought the shadow back ten steps after it had gone down the stairway of Ahaz.
He told Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, because it is written, "God will put his angels in charge of you,' and, "With their hands they will hold you up, so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.'" Jesus responded to him, "It is also written, "You must not tempt the Lord your God.'"
So Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do want to. Be clean!" And instantly his leprosy was made clean.
"Go," Jesus told the centurion, "and it will be done for you, just as you have believed." And his servant was healed that very hour.
He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began serving him.
He asked them, "Why are you afraid, you who have little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The men were amazed. "What kind of man is this?" they asked. "Even the winds and the sea obey him!" read more. When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could travel on that road.
But so you will know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"" he told the paralyzed man, "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!"
But so you will know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"" he told the paralyzed man, "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!"
When Jesus turned and saw her, he said, "Be courageous, daughter! Your faith has made you well." And from that very hour the woman was well.
When the crowd had been driven outside, he went in, took her by the hand, and the young lady got up.
Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith, let it be done for you!"
As soon as the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. You have received without payment, so give without payment.
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had taken place, because they didn't repent.
Then he told the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand.
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesus healed him so that the man could speak and see.
But Jesus told them, "A prophet is without honor only in his hometown and in his own home." He did not perform many miracles there because of their unbelief.
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
Peter answered him, "Lord, if it's you, order me to come to you on the water."
Then Jesus answered her, "Lady, your faith is great! What you want is granted." That very hour her daughter was healed.
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, yet you can't interpret the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah." Then he left them and went away.
Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed that very hour.
So Jesus told him, "In that case, the subjects are exempt. However, so that we don't offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you."
So Jesus told him, "In that case, the subjects are exempt. However, so that we don't offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you."
Then Jesus, deeply moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and at once they could see again. So they followed him.
Seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He told it, "May fruit never come from you again!" And immediately the fig tree dried up.
Seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He told it, "May fruit never come from you again!" And immediately the fig tree dried up.
Then Jesus approached them and told them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
teaching them to obey everything that I've commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day until the end of the age."
But Jesus rebuked him. "Be quiet," he ordered, "and come out of him!"
The man's hearing and speech were restored at once, and he began to talk normally.
Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and he saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he saw everything perfectly, even from a distance.
These are the signs that will accompany those who believe: In my name they'll drive out demons, they'll speak in new languages, and they'll pick up snakes with their hands.Even if they drink any deadly poison, it won't hurt them, and they'll place their hands on the sick, and they'll recover."
After the men had done this, they caught so many fish that the nets began to tear.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus' knees and said, "Leave me, Lord! I am a sinful man!" -
The man who had been dead sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
John's disciples told him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are free from your illness."
A man whose body was swollen with fluid suddenly appeared in front of him.
Except for this foreigner, were any of them found to return and give praise to God?"
When the man in charge of the banquet tasted the water that had become wine (without knowing where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called for the bridegroom
Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
Jesus told him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe."
Jesus told him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe."
Jesus told him, "Go home. Your son will live." The man believed what Jesus told him and started back home.
Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!"
"But I have a greater testimony than John's, because the actions that the Father has given me to complete the very actions that I am doing testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.
When the people saw the sign that he had done, they kept saying, "Truly this is the Prophet who was to come into the world!"
and told him, "Go and wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated "Sent One"). So he went off, washed, and came back seeing.
So they removed the stone. Then Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me."
The man who had died came out, his hands and feet tied with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a handkerchief. Jesus told them, "Untie him, and let him go."
Some of them, however, went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
Although he had performed numerous signs in their presence, they did not believe in him,
Believe me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe me because of what I've been doing.
He told them, "Throw the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you'll catch some." So they threw it out and were unable to haul it in because it was so full of fish.
A sense of fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.
Then Peter took hold of his right hand and began to help him up. Immediately his feet and ankles became strong,
When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized everyone who heard about it.
She instantly fell down at Peter's feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her next to her husband.
Now many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles among the people, who were gathered together in Solomon's Colonnade.
As a result, people kept carrying their sick into the streets and placing them on stretchers and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he went by.
arrested the apostles, and put them in the city jail.
Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized he became devoted to Philip. He was amazed to see the signs and great miracles that were happening.
Peter told him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Messiah is healing you. Get up and put away your mat!" At once he got up,
Peter made them all go outside. After kneeling down, he prayed, turned to the body, and said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Then the angel told him, "Tuck in your shirt and put on your sandals!" He did this. Then the angel told him, "Put on your coat and follow me!"
The Lord is against you now, and you'll be blind and unable to see the sun for a while!" At that moment a dark mist came over him, and he went around looking for someone to lead him by the hand.
He was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul watched him closely, and when he saw that he had faith to be healed,
She kept doing this for many days until Paul became annoyed, turned to her and told the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus the Messiah to come out of her!" And it came out that very moment.
Suddenly, there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken. All the doors immediately flew open, and everyone's chains were unfastened.
When handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits went out of them.
But Paul went down, bent over him, took him into his arms, and said, "Stop being alarmed, because he's still alive."
Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put it on the fire. A poisonous snake was forced out by the heat and attached itself to Paul's hand.
The father of Publius happened to be sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, prayed, and healed him by placing his hands on him.
to another miraculous results; to another prophecy; to another the ability to distinguish between spirits; to another various kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages.
God has appointed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who help others, administrators, and those who speak various kinds of languages.
For I passed on to you the most important points that I received: The Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and is still alive!
he was buried, he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and is still alive!
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders,
Morish
No sincere believer in the inspiration of scripture can have a doubt as to real miracles having been wrought by the power of God both in O.T. and N.T. times. It is philosophy so-called, or scepticism, that mystifies the subject. Much is said about 'the laws of nature;' and it is confidently affirmed that these are irrevocable and cannot be departed from. To which is added that laws of nature previously unknown are frequently being discovered, and if our forefathers could witness the application of some of the more recent discoveries, as the computer, mobile telephone, etc., they would judge that miracles were being performed. So, it is argued, the actions recorded in scripture as miracles, were merely the bringing into use some law of nature which had been hidden up to that time.
All this is based upon a fallacy. There are no laws of nature, as if nature made its own laws: there are laws in nature, which God in His wisdom as Creator was pleased to make; but He who made those laws has surely the same power to suspend them when He pleases. Though laws in nature hitherto unknown are being discovered from time to time, they in no way account for such things as dead persons being raised to life, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the lame walking, and demons being cast out of those who were possessed by them. Neither has natural philosophy discovered any law that will account for such a thing as an iron axe-head swimming in water. The simple truth is that God, for wise purposes, allowed some of the natural laws to be suspended, and at times He put forth His almighty power, as in supplying the Israelites with manna from heaven, and in feeding thousands from a few loaves and fishes, or by recalling life that had left the body.
The words translated 'miracle' in the O.T. are
1. oth, 'a sign,' as it is often translated, and in some places 'token.' Nu 14:22; De 11:3.
2. mopheth, 'a wonder,' as it is mostly translated: it is something out of the ordinary course of events. Ex 7:9; De 29:3.
3. pala, 'wonderful, marvellous.' Jg 6:13.
Moses was enabled to work miracles for two distinct objects. One was in order to convince the children of Israel that God had sent him. God gave him three signs to perform before them: his rod became a serpent, and was again a rod; his hand became leprous, and was then restored; and he could turn the water of the Nile into blood. Ex 4:1-9.
The other miracles, wrought by him in Egypt, were to show to Pharaoh the mighty power of God, who said, I will "multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt . . . . and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt." Ex 7:3-5. The ten plagues followed, which were miracles or signs of the power of God
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then Moses answered, "Look, they won't believe me and they won't listen to me. Instead, they'll say, "The LORD didn't appear to you.'" "What's that in your hand?" the LORD asked him. Moses answered, "A staff." read more. Then God said, "Throw it to the ground." He threw it to the ground and it became a snake. Moses ran away from it. Then God told Moses, "Reach out and grab its tail." So he reached out, grabbed it, and it became a staff in his hand. God said, "I've done this so that they may believe that the LORD God of their ancestors the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has appeared to you." Again the LORD told him, "Put your hand into your bosom." He put his hand into his bosom and as soon as he brought it out it was leprous, like snow. Then God said, "Put your hand back into your bosom." He returned it to his bosom and as soon as he brought it out, it was restored like the rest of his skin. "Then if they don't believe you and respond to the first sign, they may respond to the second sign. But if they don't believe even these two signs, and won't listen to you, then take some water out of the Nile River and pour it on the dry ground. The water you took from the Nile River will turn into blood on the dry ground."
I'll harden Pharaoh's heart and I'll add more and more of my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. WhenPharaoh won't listen to you, I'll let loose my power upon Egypt. I'll bring out my tribal divisions my people the Israelis from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. read more. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand over Egypt to bring the Israelis out from among them."
"When Pharaoh says to you, "Perform a miraculous sign,' then you are to say to Aaron, "Take your staff and throw it in front of Pharaoh.' It will become a serpent." So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did what the LORD had commanded them. Aaron threw his staff in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. read more. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and sorcerers, and they along with the Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their secret arts. So each one threw down his staff and it became a serpent, but Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.
Moses and Aaron did just what the LORD had commanded. Aaron raised his staff and struck the water in the Nile River in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and all the water in the Nile River turned to blood. The fish in the Nile River died and the river stank. The Egyptians were not able to drink water from the Nile River, and blood was throughout the land of Egypt. read more. But the Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their secret arts. Pharaoh's heart was stubborn, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had said. Then Pharaoh turned away, went to his palace, and paid no attention to any of this. All the Egyptians dug around the Nile River for water to drink because they could not drink from the water in the Nile River. Seven days after the LORD had struck the Nile River,
Then the LORD told Moses, "Tell Aaron, "Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the Nile River, and over the ponds, and bring up frogs over the land of Egypt.'" So Aaron stretched his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. read more. But the magicians did the same thing with their secret arts, and they brought up frogs on the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called to Moses and Aaron and said, "Plead with the LORD so that he may remove the frogs from me and my people. I'll let the people go so they can offer sacrifices to the LORD." Moses told Pharaoh, "You decide when I should plead for you, your servants, and your people to remove the frogs from you and your household. They'll remain only in the Nile River." Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "It will be just as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. The frogs will leave you, your house, your officials, and your people. They'll remain only in the Nile River." Then Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh's presence, and Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs which he had sent on Pharaoh. The LORD did just as Moses asked, and the frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards, and in the fields. They gathered them up into large piles and the land smelled terrible.
Then the LORD told Moses, "Tell Aaron, "Stretch out your staff, strike the dust of the ground, and the dust will become gnats throughout the land of Egypt.'" They did this. Aaron stretched his hand out with his staff, struck the dust of the land, and gnats came on people and animals all the dust of the ground became gnats throughout the land of Egypt. read more. The magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but they were unable to bring out the gnats. The gnats were on the people and the animals.
The LORD told Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he's going down to the water. You are to say to him, "This is what the LORD says: "Let my people go so they can serve me. But if you don't let my people go, I'll send swarms of insects upon you, your servants, your people, and your households. The houses of Egypt and even the ground on which they stand will be filled with swarms of insects. read more. On that day I'll treat the land of Goshen where my people live differently so that swarms of insects won't be there. As a result, you will know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land. I'll make a distinction between my people and your people, and this sign will occur tomorrow."'" The LORD did this, and dense swarms of insects came into the house of Pharaoh and into the houses of his servants. The land was ruined throughout Egypt because of the swarms of insects.
then the hand of the LORD will comewith a very severe plague on your livestock in the fields, on horses, on donkeys, on camels, on cattle, and on sheep. The LORD will distinguish between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of the Egyptians, so that nothing that belongs to the Israelis will die."'" read more. The LORD set the time: "Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land." The LORD did this thing the next day, and all the livestock of the Egyptians died. But not one of the livestock died that belonged to the Israelis.
Then the LORD told Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a kiln, and let Moses throw it into the air in front of Pharaoh. The soot will become dust over the entire land of Egypt, and it will become boils erupting into sores on people and animals throughout the land of Egypt." read more. So they took soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh. Then Moses threw it into the air,and it became boils producing running sores on people and animals. The magicians were not able to stand before Moses because of the boils, because the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.
Then the LORD told Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and there will be hail in all the land of Egypt, on people, animals, and all the vegetation of the field throughout the land of Egypt." When Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. The LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. read more. There was very heavy hail, and lightning was flashing continuously in the midst of the hail. There had not been anything like it in the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. The hail struck everything, including people and animals, outside in the fields throughout the land of Egypt. The hail struck all the vegetation of the fields and shattered all the trees in the orchards. Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelis were, was there no hail.
The LORD told Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt to bring the locusts, and they'll come up over the land of Egypt and eat all the vegetation of the land, everything that the hail left." Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD sent an east wind into the land all that day and throughout the night. When morning came, the east wind brought the locusts. read more. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on all the territory of Egypt in great swarms. There had never been locusts like this before nor would there ever be again. They covered the surface of the entire land so that it was dark. They ate all the vegetation of the land and the fruit from the trees that the hail left. Nothing green was left on the trees or on the vegetation in all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh quickly called Moses and Aaron and said, "I've sinned against the LORD your God and against you. Now, please forgive my sin only this time, and pray to the LORD your God that he would at least remove this from me." Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. Then the LORD brought a very strong west wind that took the locusts and drove them into the Reed Sea. Not one locust remained in all the territory of Egypt.
Then the LORD told Moses, "Stretch your hand toward the sky and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that one can feel." So Moses stretched his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. read more. No one could see anyone else, nor could anyone get up from his place for three days. But there was light for all the Israelis in their dwellings.
And so at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. Pharaoh got up during the night, he, all his officials, and all the Egyptians, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, because there was not a house without someone dead in it.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the water to retreat by a strong east wind all night, turning the sea into dry land. As the waters were divided, the Israelis went into the middle of the sea on dry land, and the waters formed a wall for them on their right and on their left. read more. The Egyptians pursued all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen and they went into the middle of the sea after them. In the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian camp through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian camp into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots wobble so that they drove them with difficulty. The Egyptians said, "Let's flee from Israel because the LORD is fighting for them and against us." Then the LORD told Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea and the water will come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots, and over their horsemen." Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the water returned to its normal depth at daybreak. The Egyptians tried to retreat in front of the advancing water, but the LORD destroyed the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. The water returned, covering the chariots and the horsemen of Pharaoh's entire army that had pursued the Israelis into the sea. Not a single one of them remained. But the Israelis walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, and the water stood like a wall for them on their right and on their left. On that day the LORD delivered Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead along the seashore. When Israel saw the great force by which the LORD had acted against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed the LORD and Moses his servant.
When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter. (That is why it's called Marah.) Then the people complained against Moses: "What are we to drink?" read more. Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree, which he threw into the water, and the water became sweet.
When the layer of dew evaporated, on the surface of the desert a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost, appeared on the ground. When the Israelis saw it, they asked one another, "What is it?", because they did not know what it was. read more. Moses told them, "It's the food that the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded: "You are to gather from it what each person is to eat, about one omer per person according to the number of your people, and one person is to gather for everyone in his tent.'" The Israelis did this, some gathering much, some little. When they measured it with a vessel the capacity of which was one omer, the one who gathered much did not have an excess, while the one who gathered little did not lack. They gathered exactly what each needed to eat. Then Moses told them, "No one is to leave any of it until morning." But they did not listen to Moses some people left part of it until morning, and it produced maggots and smelled bad, so Moses got angry at them. Every morning they gathered it, according to what each needed to eat; and when the sun became hot, it melted. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, about two omers per person. Then all the leaders of the congregation came and reported to Moses, and he told them, "This is what the LORD said: "Tomorrow is a Sabbath observance, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and put aside whatever remains to be kept for yourselves until morning.'" So they put it away until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not smell bad, and there were no maggots in it. Moses said, "Eat it today, since today is a Sabbath to the LORD, and today you won't find it in the field. For six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there won't be any." Nevertheless, that seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any. Then the LORD asked Moses, "How long will you people refuse to keep my commandments and my instructions? You see that the LORD has given you the Sabbath, and so on the sixth day he gives you food for two days. Let each person stay where he is; let no one leave his place on the seventh day." So the people rested on the seventh day. The Israelis named it "manna". It was white like coriander seed, and tasted like a wafer made with honey. Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded: "Set aside one omer of it for future generations, so that they may see the food with which I fed you in the desert when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'" Then Moses told Aaron, "Take a jar, fill it with about one omer of manna, and place it in the LORD's presence, to be preserved throughout future generations." So Aaron placed it before the Testimony to be kept, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. The Israelis ate manna for 40 years until they came to a land where they could settle. They ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
Then the LORD told Moses, "Go over in front of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I'll be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock and water will come out of it, so the people can drink." Moses did this in front of the elders of Israel. read more. He named the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelis quarreled and tested the LORD by saying: "Is the LORD really among us or not?"
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own censer, placed fire in it, covered it with incense, and brought it into the LORD's presence as unauthorized fire that he had never prescribed for them. As a result, fire came out from the LORD's presence and incinerated them. They died while in the LORD's presence.
none of those men who saw my glory and watched my miracles that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness even though they've tested me these ten times and never listened to my voice
none of those men who saw my glory and watched my miracles that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness even though they've tested me these ten times and never listened to my voice
Just as he finished saying all these things, the ground under them split open. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, all their households, everyone who was affiliated with Korah, and all of their property. read more. So they and all that belonged to them descended alive to Sheol. Then the earth closed over them. That's how they were annihilated from the assembly. Then all of the Israelis who were around them ran away when they heard them crying, ""so the ground won't swallow us up, too." After this, fire came from the LORD and incinerated the 250 men who offered the incense. Then the LORD instructed Moses, "Tell Aaron's son Eleazar the priest to take out the censers out of the flames and scatter the coals far away, since they are holy. As for the censers of those rebels who died, fasten them into beaten plates to line the altar. Since they brought them into the LORD's presence, they're holy. They are to become a reminder to the Israelis." So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been burned and beat them into metal plates for the altar, to serve as a memorial to the Israelis, a reminder that no unauthorized person, who isn't a descendant of Aaron, is to attempt to burn incense in the LORD'S presence, so that he may not become like Korah and his group, just as the LORD had spoken by the authority of Moses.
The next morning, Moses went to the Tent of Testimony and the rod of Aaron of the tribe of Levi had burst into bloom! It sprouted buds, bloomed blossoms, and produced fully ripe almonds!
The LORD told Moses, "Take the rod, gather the community together, and then you and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock right before their eyes. It will release water. As you bring water to them from the rock, the community and the cattle will be able to drink." read more. So Moses took the rod in the LORD's presence, just as he had commanded. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock. "Pay attention, you rebels!" Moses told them. "Are we to bring you water from this rock?" Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Lots of water gushed out, and both the community and their cattle were able to drink.
Then the LORD instructed Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent out of brass and fasten it to a pole. Anyone who has been bitten and who looks at it will live." So Moses made a bronze serpent and fastened it to a pole. If a person who had been bitten by a poisonous serpent looked to the serpent, he lived.
The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials. At this, the anger of the LORD flared up against Balaam, because he was leaving. So the angel of the LORD stood in the way to oppose him. As Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by two of his servants, read more. all of a sudden the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand! The donkey turned off the road and went into an open field. Balaam started beating the donkey in order to turn her back to the road, but the angel of the LORD stood on a narrow path that crossed the vineyards. It had walls on both sides of the path. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she squeezed herself so close to the wall that Balaam's foot was pressed to the wall. So he beat her again! Then the angel of the LORD went along a little further and stood in a much narrower space, where it was impossible to turn either right or left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. As a result, Balaam got so angry that he started to whip the donkey with his staff. That's when the LORD enabled the donkey to speak. She asked Balaam, "What did I do to you that you would beat me in the space of only three footsteps?" "Because you're playing a dirty trick on me," Balaam answered the donkey. "If only I had a sword in my hand! I'd kill you right now!" But in response, the donkey asked Balaam, "I'm your donkey that you've ridden on in the past without incident, am I not, and I'm the same donkey you're riding on right now, am I not? Am I in the habit of treating you like this?" "No," he admitted. Then the LORD enabled Balaam to see, so he observed the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with an unsheathed sword in his hand. So he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face. Then the angel of the LORD asked him, "Why did you beat your donkey in the space of only three footsteps? I've come to oppose you, because I say that what you're doing is perverted. The donkey saw me and turned in front of me in the space of those three footsteps. If she hadn't turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and left her alive!" At this, Balaam replied to the angel of the LORD, "I've sinned! I didn't know that you were standing to meet me on the road. So now, since it displeases you, let me go back." But the angel of the LORD told Balaam, "Go with the men, but deliver only the message that I'm going to give you." So Balaam went with Balak's officials.
including: the signs and works that he did within Egypt to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to all his land;
So the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan River, with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in full view of the people. When the priests who carried the ark entered the Jordan River, as their feet touched the water's edge (The Jordan River overflows all of its banks daily during the harvest season.), read more. the water flowing downstream from above stood still in a single location, a great distance away at Adam, a city near Zarethan. The water that flowed south toward the sea in the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. The priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan River, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan River.
So Nun's son Joshua called for the priests. "Pick up the Ark of the Covenant," he told them, "and have seven priests carry seven trumpets made from rams' horns in front of the ark of the LORD." He told the army, "Go out and encircle the city. Have the armed men march out in front of the ark of the LORD." read more. And so, just as Joshua had commanded, seven of the priests went forward, carrying the seven trumpets made of rams' horns in the LORD's presence, blowing the trumpets while the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD followed them. Armed men preceded the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and a rear guard followed the ark, while the trumpets continued to blow. Joshua issued orders to the army: "You are not to shout or even let your voice be heard. Don't utter a word until I tell you to shout. Then shout!" So the ark of the LORD was taken once around the city, then they went back to camp and spent the night there. Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests picked up the ark of the LORD. The seven priests who carried the seven trumpets made from rams' horns preceded the ark of the LORD, blowing their trumpets constantly. The armed men preceded them, and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets continued to blow. On the second day they marched around the city once and then went back to camp. They did this for six days. They rose early at dawn on the seventh day and marched around the city seven times, just as they had before, except that on that day only they marched around the city seven times. As they completed the seventh time, after the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua told the army, "Shout, because the LORD has given you the city! The city along with everything in it is to be turned over to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone who is with her in her house may live, because she hid the scouts we sent. Now as for you, everything has been turned over for destruction. Don't covet or take any of these things. Otherwise, you'll make the camp of Israel itself an object worthy of destruction, and bring trouble on it. But everything made of silver and gold, and vessels made of bronze and iron are set apart to the LORD. They are to go into the treasury of the LORD." So the army shouted and the trumpets were blown again. As soon as the army heard the sound of the trumpets, they shouted loudly and the wall collapsed. The army charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. They turned over everyone in the city for destruction and executed them, including both men and women, young and old, and oxen, sheep, and donkeys. Joshua told the two men who had scouted the land, "Go into the prostitute's home and bring her out of it, along with everyone who is with her, just as you promised her." So the young men who had been scouts went in and brought Rahab out, along with her father, her mother, her brothers, and everyone else who was with her. They brought her entire family out and set them outside the camp of Israel. Then the army set fire to the city and to everything in it, except that they reserved the silver, gold, and vessels of bronze and iron for the treasury of the LORD. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, along with her family and everyone who was with her. Her family has lived in Israel ever since, because she hid the scouts whom Joshua sent to observe Jericho.
Later that day, Joshua spoke to the LORD while the LORD was delivering the Amorites to the Israelis. This is what he said in the presence of Israel: "Sun, be still over Gibeon! Moon, stand in place in the Aijalon Valley!" So the sun remained still and the moon stood in place until the nation settled their score with their enemies. This is recorded, is it not, in the book of Jashar? The sun stood in place in the middle of the sky and seemed not to be in a hurry to set for nearly an entire day. read more. There has never been a day like it before or since, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man, because the LORD was fighting on behalf of Israel.
But Gideon replied, "Right" Sir, if the LORD is with us, then why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his miraculous works that our ancestors recounted to us when they said, "The LORD brought us up from Egypt, didn't he?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us over to Midian!"
But Gideon replied, "Right" Sir, if the LORD is with us, then why has all of this happened to us? And where are all of his miraculous works that our ancestors recounted to us when they said, "The LORD brought us up from Egypt, didn't he?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us over to Midian!"
When he heard the man of God curse the altar in Bethel, the king pointed at the man of God from where the king was standing at the altar. "Seize him!" he ordered. But all of a sudden his hand that he had stretched out dried up, and he could not bring it back to his side! Also, the altar broke apart and the ashes that were on it spilled out from the altar, providing just the proof that the man of God had predicted in his message from the LORD! read more. "Please!" the king begged the man of God, "Ask the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored for me!" So the man of God asked the LORD, and the king's hand was immediately and fully restored, just like it had been before.
because this is what the LORD God of Israel says: "That jar of flour will not run out, nor will that bottle of oil become empty until the very day that the LORD sends rain on the surface of the ground.'" So she went out and did precisely what Elijah told her to do. As a result, Elijah, the widow, and her son were fed for days. read more. The jar of flour never ran out and the bottle of oil never became empty, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah. Sometime later, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. In fact, his illness became so severe that he died. "What do we have in common, you man of God?" she accused Elijah. "You came to me so you could uncover my guilt! And you're responsible for the death of my son!" "Give me your son," he replied. Then he took him from her lap, carried him upstairs to the room where he lived, and laid him on his bed. Then he called out to the LORD and asked him, "LORD my God, have you also brought evil to this dear widow with whom I am living as her guest? Have you caused the death of her son?" Then he stretched himself three times and cried out to the LORD, "LORD my God, please cause the soul of this little boy to return to him." The LORD listened to Elijah, and the soul of the little boy returned to him, and he revived. Then Elijah took the little boy downstairs from the upper chamber back into the main house and delivered him to his mother. "Look," Elijah told her, "your son is alive." The woman responded to Elijah, "Now at last I've really learned that you are a man of God and that what you have to say about the LORD is the truth."
But Elisha responded, "As the LORD lives, and while you're still alive, I'm not going to leave you!" So they went on their way, accompanied by 50 men from the Guild of Prophets, who stood at a short distance from them while they were both standing by the Jordan. Elijah took off his ornamented cloak, wrapped it up in a roll, struck the water, and all of a sudden the water divided into two parts! One side of the river stood still opposite the other until the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
As they continued on, talking as they went, suddenly chariots blazing with fire and pulled by fiery horses appeared, separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a wind storm to heaven!
Elisha took hold of Elijah's ornamental cloak that had been left behind, struck the water, and cried out: "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" All of a sudden, after he had struck the water, the water divided into two parts! One side of the river stood opposite the other, and Elisha crossed over.
The men who lived in the city addressed Elisha. "Look now," they said, "our city's location is good, as you have been observing, but the water springs here are bad and the land isn't sustaining crops." Elisha ordered them, "Bring me a new bowl and put some salt in it." So they brought him what he had requested. read more. Elisha went out to the springs, threw the salt into them, and declared, "This is what the LORD says: "I have purified these waters. Neither death nor barrenness is to flow from them anymore.'" As a result, the water springs remain pure to this day, just as Elisha had declared.
As the musician played, the hand of the LORD rested on Elisha, so he said, "This is what the LORD says: "Fill this valley with trench after trench!' This is what the LORD says: "Though you won't see wind or storm, nevertheless that river will overflow with water so that you, your cattle, and your livestock may drink.' read more. And this is the easy part for the LORD he's also going to hand the Moabites over to you! Then you are to attack every fortified city and every significant city. Cut down every significant tree, fill in all of the water springs, and ruin every prime piece of land with stones." The very next day, about the time of the morning offering, water suddenly appeared, coming from the direction of Edom, and the land overflowed with water!
Elisha responded, "What shall I do for you? Tell me what you have in your house." She replied, "Your servant has nothing in the entire house except for a flask of oil." He told her, "Go out to all of your neighbors in the surrounding streets and borrow lots of pots from them. Don't get just a few empty vessels, either. read more. Then go in and shut the door behind you, taking only your children, and pour oil into all of the pots. As each one is filled, set it aside." So she left Elisha, shut the door behind her and her children, and while they kept on bringing vessels to her, she kept on pouring oil. When the last of the vessels had been filled, she told her son, "Bring me another pot!" But he replied, "There isn't even one pot left." Then the oil stopped flowing. After this, she went and told the man of God what had happened. So he said, "Go sell the oil, pay your debt, and you and your children will be able to live on the proceeds."
When Elisha entered the house, there was the youngster, dead and laid out on Elisha's bed! So he entered, shut the door behind them both, and prayed to the LORD. read more. Then he approached the child and lay down with his mouth near the child's, with his eyes near those of the child, and taking the child's hands in his. As Elisha stretched himself on the child, the child's flesh began to grow warm. Then he went downstairs, walked around back and forth inside the house once, went back up to his upper chamber, and stretched himself over the child again. The young man sneezed seven times and then opened his eyes. He called out to Gehazi, "Go get the Shunammite woman!" So he called her. When she came in to see Elisha, he told her, "Take back your son!" Then she approached him, fell at his feet, bowing low to the ground, took back her son, and went out. Elisha returned to Gilgal during a time of famine in the land. While the Guild of Prophets were having a meal with him, he instructed his attendant, "Put a large pot on the fire and boil some stew for the Guild of Prophets." Somebody went out into the fields to grab some herbs, found a wild vine, and gathered a lap full of wild gourds, which he came and sliced up into the stew pot, but nobody else knew. When they served the men, they began to eat the stew. But they cried out, "That pot of stew is deadly, you man of God!" So they couldn't eat the stew. But he replied, "Bring me some flour." He tossed it into the pot and said, "Serve the people so they can eat." Then there was nothing harmful in the pot. Later on, a man arrived from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God some bread as a first fruit offering. He had 20 loaves of barley and ripe ears of corn in his sack. So Elisha said, "Give them to the people so they can eat." Elisha's attendant asked, "What? Will this serve 100 men?" But he replied, "Distribute it to the people so they can eat, because this is what the LORD says: "They will eat and have a surplus!'" So he served them, and they ate and had some left over, just as the LORD had indicated.
Elisha sent a messenger out to him, who told him, "Go bathe in the Jordan River seven times. Your flesh will be restored for you. Now stay clean!" But Naaman flew into a rage and left, telling himself, "Look! I thought "He's surely going to come out to me, stand still, call out in the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the infection, and cure the leprosy!' read more. Aren't the Abana and Pharpar rivers in Damascus better than all of the water in Israel? Couldn't I just bathe in them and become clean?" So he turned away and left, filled with anger. But then his servants approached him and spoke with him. They said, "My father, had the prophet only asked of you something great, you would have done it, wouldn't you? Yet he told you, "Bathe, and be clean"!'" So he went down and plunged himself into the Jordan River seven times, just as the man of God had said, and his flesh rejuvenated like the flesh of a newborn child. And he was clean.
It happened that as one of them was felling a beam, his axe head fell into the water. He cried out, "Oh no! Master! The axe was on loan to me!" The man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he was shown the place, he cut off a branch, tossed it there, and made the iron axe head float. read more. Then Elisha said, "Pick it up!" So the young man reached out and picked it up.
One day while some Israelis were burying a man, they saw some marauders, so they threw the man into Elisha's grave. But when the man fell against Elisha's remains, he revived and rose to his feet.
So Isaiah replied, "This will be your sign from the LORD that the LORD will do what he has promised. Shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?" Hezekiah answered, "It's an easy thing for a shadow to lengthen ten steps. So let the shadow go backward ten steps." read more. So Isaiah cried out to the LORD, who brought the shadow back ten steps after it had gone down the stairway of Ahaz.
Out of control with rage, Nebuchadnezzar's facial expression changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Then he issued orders to his elite guard to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with ropes and throw them into the blazing fire furnace. read more. So the elite guard tied them up fully clothed, still wearing their robes, tunics, and turbans, and threw them into the blazing fire furnace, because the king's command was so drastic. Since the furnace was blazing hot, its flames killed those who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the blazing fire. Bound firmly with ropes, these three men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the blazing fire furnace. Astonished, King Nebuchadnezzar stood up in terror, and asked his advisors, "Didn't we throw three men into the fire, bound firmly with ropes?" In reply they told the king, "Yes, your majesty." "Look!" he told them, "I see four men walking untied and unharmed in the middle of the fire, and the appearance of the fourth resembles a divine being." Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing fire furnace. He shouted out, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. The regional authorities, viceroys, governors, and royal advisors gazed at those men and saw that the fire had no effect on their bodies not a hair on their head was singed, their clothes were not burned, and they did not smell of fire.
At this point, the king ordered Daniel brought in and thrown into the lions' pit. The king spoke to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve constantly, will deliver you himself." A stone was brought and placed over the opening to the pit, and the king affixed a seal to it with his personal signet ring and with the signet rings of his officials so that no one would interfere with Daniel's situation. read more. Then the king retired to his palace to spend the night fasting. He enjoyed no entertainment, and he couldn't sleep. The king got up at dawn and went quickly to the lions' pit. As he approached where Daniel was in the pit, he cried out to him in a voice filled with anguish, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve constantly, been able to deliver you from the lions?" Daniel replied to the king, "May your majesty live forever! My God sent his angel and sealed the mouths of the lions. They have not harmed me, proving that I'm innocent before him. Also against you, your majesty, I've committed no offense." The king was ecstatic, so he gave orders for Daniel to be released from the pit. Daniel was taken up from the pit, and no injury was found to have been inflicted on him, because he had believed in his God.
Suddenly, a leper came up to him, fell down before him, and said, "Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean." So Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do want to. Be clean!" And instantly his leprosy was made clean. read more. Then Jesus told him, "See to it that you don't speak to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded as proof to the authorities." When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a centurion came up to him and begged him repeatedly, "Sir, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in terrible pain." Jesus told him, "I will come and heal him." The centurion replied, "Sir, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed, because I, too, am a man under authority and I have soldiers under me. I say to one of them "Go' and he goes, to another "Come' and he comes, and to my servant "Do this' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and told those who were following him, "I tell all of you with certainty, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith! I tell all of you, many will come from east and west and will feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom from heaven. But the unfaithful heirs of that kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." "Go," Jesus told the centurion, "and it will be done for you, just as you have believed." And his servant was healed that very hour. When Jesus went into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed, sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and began serving him.
When Jesus got into the boat, his disciples went with him. Suddenly, a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat began to be swamped by the waves. Yet Jesus kept sleeping. read more. They went to him and woke him up. "Lord!" they cried, "Save us! We're going to die!" He asked them, "Why are you afraid, you who have little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. The men were amazed. "What kind of man is this?" they asked. "Even the winds and the sea obey him!" When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could travel on that road. Suddenly, they screamed, "What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before the proper time?" Now a large herd of pigs was grazing some distance away from them. So the demons began to plead with Jesus, saying, "If you drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs." He told them, "Go," and they came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly, the whole herd rushed down a steep slope into the sea and drowned in the water. Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs ran away, they came into the city and reported everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and as soon as they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
All at once some people brought him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he told the paralyzed man, "Be courageous, son! Your sins are forgiven." Then some of the scribes told themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" read more. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, replied, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up and walk'? But so you will know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"" he told the paralyzed man, "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!" So the man got up and went home.
While Jesus was telling them these things, an official came up and fell down before him. "My daughter has just died," he said. "But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." So Jesus got up and followed him, along with his disciples. read more. Just then a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his garment,
Just then a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel of his garment, because she had been saying to herself, "If I just touch his robe, I will get well."
because she had been saying to herself, "If I just touch his robe, I will get well." When Jesus turned and saw her, he said, "Be courageous, daughter! Your faith has made you well." And from that very hour the woman was well.
When Jesus turned and saw her, he said, "Be courageous, daughter! Your faith has made you well." And from that very hour the woman was well. When Jesus came to the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, read more. he said, "Go away! The young lady hasn't died, but is sleeping." But they ridiculed him with laughter. When the crowd had been driven outside, he went in, took her by the hand, and the young lady got up. The news of this spread throughout that land. As Jesus was traveling on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" When he had gone into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can do this?" They told him, "Yes, Lord!" Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith, let it be done for you!" And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly told them, "See to it that nobody knows about this." But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that region. As the men were going out, a man who couldn't talk because he was demon-possessed was brought to him. As soon as the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"
Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days, intending to accuse him of doing something wrong. But he asked them, "Is there a man among you who, if he had one sheep and it fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, wouldn't take hold of it and pull it out? read more. How much more is a human being worth than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on Sabbath days." Then he told the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out and it became normal, as healthy as his other hand.
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesus healed him so that the man could speak and see.
When evening had come, the disciples went to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and it's already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves." But Jesus told them, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat." read more. They told him, "We don't have anything here except five loaves of bread and two fish." He said, "Bring them to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. All of them ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men, besides women and children.
By this time the boat was in the middle of the sea and was being battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. read more. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and cried out, "It's a ghost!" And they screamed in terror. "Have courage!" Jesus immediately told them. "It's me. Stop being afraid!" Peter answered him, "Lord, if it's you, order me to come to you on the water." Jesus said, "Come on!" So Peter got down out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came to Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he was frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, "Lord, save me!" At once Jesus reached out his hand, caught him, and asked him, "You who have so little faith, why did you doubt?" As they got into the boat, the wind stopped blowing. Then the men in the boat began to worship Jesus, saying, "You certainly are the Son of God!"
Then Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Suddenly, a Canaanite woman from that territory came near and began to shout, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed!" read more. But he didn't answer her at all. Then his disciples came up and kept urging him, "Send her away, because she keeps on screaming as she follows us." But he replied, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel." Then she came and fell down before him, saying, "Lord, help me!" He replied, "It's not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the puppies." She said, "Yes, Lord. But even the puppies eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' tables." Then Jesus answered her, "Lady, your faith is great! What you want is granted." That very hour her daughter was healed.
Then Jesus called his disciples and said, "I have compassion for the crowd because they have already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away without food, or they may faint on the road." The disciples asked him, "Where in the wilderness are we to get enough bread to feed such a crowd?" read more. Jesus asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." Ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks. Then he broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. All of them ate until they were filled, then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces seven baskets full. Now those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.
As they approached the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, knelt down in front of him, and said, "Sir, have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and suffers terribly. Often he falls into fire and often into water. read more. I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him." Jesus replied, "You unbelieving and perverted generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!" Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed that very hour.
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came up to Peter and asked, "Your teacher pays the temple tax, doesn't he?" He answered, "Yes." When Peter went home, Jesus spoke to him first and asked him, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings on the earth collect tolls or tributes? From their own subjects, or from foreigners?" read more. "From foreigners," he replied. So Jesus told him, "In that case, the subjects are exempt. However, so that we don't offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you."
When two blind men who were sitting by the roadside heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, "Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!" When the crowd told them harshly to be silent, they shouted even louder, "Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!" read more. Jesus stopped and called them, saying, "What do you want me to do for you?" They told him, "Lord, we want to be able to see!" Then Jesus, deeply moved with compassion, touched their eyes, and at once they could see again. So they followed him.
In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, he became hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He told it, "May fruit never come from you again!" And immediately the fig tree dried up. read more. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?" they asked. Jesus answered them, "I tell all of you with certainty, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you be able to do what has been done to the fig tree, but you will also say to this mountain, "Be removed and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe."
because false messiahs and false prophets will appear and display great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
All of a sudden, there was a man in their synagogue who had an unclean spirit! He screamed, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are the Holy One of God!" read more. But Jesus rebuked him. "Be quiet," he ordered, "and come out of him!" At this, the unclean spirit shook the man, cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him. All the people were so stunned that they kept saying to each other, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He tells even the unclean spirits what to do, and they obey him!" At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Now Simon's mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever, so they promptly told Jesus about her. He went up to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them.
Then a leper came to Jesus and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and told him, "If you want to, you can make me clean." Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and told him, "I do want to. Be made clean!" read more. Instantly the leprosy left him, and he was clean. Then Jesus sternly warned him and encouraged him to go at once. He told the man, "Be sure that you don't tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as proof to the authorities." But when the man left, he began to proclaim it freely. He spread the news so widely that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly, but had to stay out in deserted places. Still, people kept coming to him from everywhere.
when some people came and brought him a paralyzed man being carried by four men. Since they couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof over the place where he was. They dug through it and let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. read more. When Jesus saw their faith, he told the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some scribes were sitting there, arguing among themselves, "Why does this man talk this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" At once, Jesus knew in his spirit what they were saying to themselves. "Why are you arguing about such things among yourselves?" he asked them. "Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven,' or "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk'? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"" Then he told the paralyzed man, "I say to you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!" So the man got up, immediately picked up his mat, and went out in front of all of them. As a result, all of the people were amazed and began to glorify God as they kept on saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
So they left the crowd and took him away in a boat without making any special preparations. Other boats were with him. A violent windstorm came up, and the waves began breaking into the boat, so that the boat was rapidly becoming swamped. read more. But Jesus was in the back of the boat, asleep on a cushion. So they woke him up and asked him, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to die?" Then he got up, rebuked the wind, and told the sea, "Calm down! Be still!" Then the wind stopped blowing, and there was a great calm. He asked them, "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith yet?" Overcome with fear, they kept saying to one another, "Who is this man? Even the wind and the sea obey him!"
They arrived at the other side of the sea in the territory of the Gerasenes. Just as Jesus stepped out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him. read more. He lived among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, not even with a chain. He had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but had snapped the chains apart and broken the shackles in pieces. No one could tame him. He kept screaming night and day among the tombs and on the mountainsides, and kept cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell down in front of him, screaming in a loud voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you in the name of God never to torment me!" Jesus had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" Then Jesus asked him, "What's your name?" He told him, "My name is Legion, because there are many of us." He kept pleading with Jesus not to send them out of that region. Now a large herd of pigs was grazing on a hillside nearby. So the demons begged him, "Send us among the pigs, so that we can go into them!" So he let them do this. The unclean spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down a steep slope into the sea and drowned there. Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs ran away, they reported what had happened in the city and countryside. So the people went to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus and saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there dressed and in his right mind, they were frightened. The people who had seen it told them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. So they began to beg Jesus to leave their territory. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging him to let him go with him. But Jesus wouldn't let him. Instead, he told him, "Go home to your family, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been to you." So the man left and began proclaiming in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was utterly amazed.
Then a synagogue leader named Jairus arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet and begged him urgently, saying, "My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live." read more. So Jesus went with him. A huge crowd kept following him and jostling him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years.
Now there was a woman who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years. Although she had endured a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all of her money, she had not been helped at all, but rather grew worse.
Although she had endured a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all of her money, she had not been helped at all, but rather grew worse. Since she had heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe,
Since she had heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe, because she had been saying, "If I can just touch his robe, I will get well."
because she had been saying, "If I can just touch his robe, I will get well." Her bleeding stopped at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her illness.
Her bleeding stopped at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her illness. Immediately Jesus became aware that power had gone out of him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
Immediately Jesus became aware that power had gone out of him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" His disciples asked him, "You see the crowd jostling you, and yet you ask, "Who touched me?'"
His disciples asked him, "You see the crowd jostling you, and yet you ask, "Who touched me?'" But he kept looking around to look at the woman who had done this.
But he kept looking around to look at the woman who had done this. So the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came forward fearfully, fell down trembling in front of him, and told him the whole truth.
So the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came forward fearfully, fell down trembling in front of him, and told him the whole truth. He told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed from your illness."
He told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed from your illness." While he was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader's home and said, "Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher anymore?" read more. But when Jesus heard what they said, he told the synagogue leader, "Stop being afraid! Just keep on believing." Jesus allowed no one to go further with him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw mass confusion. People were crying and sobbing loudly. He entered the house and asked them, "Why all this confusion and crying? The child isn't dead. She's sleeping." They laughed and laughed at him. But when he had driven all of them outside, he took the child's father and mother, along with the men who were with him, and went into the room where the child was. He took her by the hand and told her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Young lady, I tell you, get up!" The young lady got up at once and started to walk. She was twelve years old. Instantly they were overcome with astonishment. But Jesus strictly ordered them not to let anyone know about this. He also told them to give her something to eat.
When it was quite late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and it's already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go to the neighboring farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat." read more. But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They asked him, "Should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?" He asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and see." They found out and told him, "Five loaves and two fish." Then he ordered them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. All of them ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of leftover bread and fish. There were 5,000 men who had eaten the loaves.
When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, while he was alone on the land. He saw that his disciples were straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he came to them, walking on the sea. He intended to go up right beside them, read more. but when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and began to scream. All of them saw him and were terrified. Immediately he told them, "Have courage! It's me. Stop being afraid!" Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped blowing. The disciples were utterly astounded,
They ran all over the countryside and began carrying the sick on their mats to any place where they heard he was. Wherever he went, whether into villages, towns, or farms, people would place their sick in the marketplaces and beg him to let them touch even the tassel of his garment, and everyone who touched it was healed.
Jesus left that place and went to the territory of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house, not wanting anyone to know he was there. However, it couldn't be kept a secret. In fact, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him and came and fell down at his feet. read more. Now the woman happened to be a Greek, born in Phoenicia in Syria. She kept asking him to drive the demon out of her daughter. But he kept telling her, "First let the children be filled. It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the puppies." But she answered him, "Yes, Lord. Yet even the puppies under the table eat some of the children's crumbs." Then he told her, "Because you have said this, go! The demon has left your daughter." So she went home and found her child lying in bed, and the demon was gone. Then Jesus left the territory of Tyre and passed through Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the territory of the Decapolis. Some people brought him a deaf man who also had a speech impediment. They begged him to lay his hand on him. Jesus took him away from the crowd to be alone with him. Putting his fingers into the man's ears, he touched the man's tongue with saliva. Then he looked up to heaven, sighed, and told him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened!" The man's hearing and speech were restored at once, and he began to talk normally. Jesus ordered the people not to tell anyone, but the more he kept ordering them, the more they kept spreading the news. Amazed beyond measure, they kept on saying, "He does everything well! He even makes deaf people hear and mute people talk!"
As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spit into his eyes, placed his hands on him, and asked him, "Do you see anything?" read more. The man looked up and said, "I see people, but they look like trees walking around." Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and he saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he saw everything perfectly, even from a distance. Then Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village or tell anyone in the village."
As they approached the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. The whole crowd was very surprised to see Jesus and ran to welcome him. read more. He asked the scribes, "What are you arguing about with them?" A man in the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that won't let him talk. Whenever it brings on a seizure, it throws him to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes stiff. So I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they didn't have the power." Jesus told them, "You unbelieving generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!" So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground and kept rolling around and foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" He said, "Since he was a child. The spirit has often thrown him into fire and into water to destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us!" Jesus told him, ""If you are able?' Everything is possible for the person who believes!" With tears flowing, the child's father at once cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You spirit that won't let him talk or hear I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!" The spirit screamed, shook the child violently, and came out. The boy was like a corpse, and many said that he was dead. But Jesus took his hand and helped him up, and he stood up.
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus, his disciples, and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus) was sitting by the road. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" read more. Many people sternly told him to be quiet, but he started shouting even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" So Jesus stopped and said, "Call him!" So they called the blind man and told him, "Have courage! Get up. He's calling you." He threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus. Then Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man told him, "Rabbouni, I want to see again." Jesus told him, "Go. Your faith has made you well." At once the man could see again, and he began to follow Jesus down the road.
The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus became hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree covered with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing except leaves because it wasn't the season for figs. read more. So he told it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" Now his disciples were listening to this. When they came to Jerusalem, he went into the Temple and began to throw out those who were selling and those who were buying in the Temple. He overturned the moneychangers' tables and the chairs of those who sold doves. He wouldn't even let anyone carry a vessel through the Temple. Then he began to teach them: "It is written, is it not, "My house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you've turned it into a hideout for bandits!" When the high priests and elders heard this, they began to look for a way to kill him, because they were afraid of him, since the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. When evening came, Jesus and his disciples would leave the city. While they were walking along early the next morning, they saw the fig tree dried up to its roots. Remembering what Jesus had said, Peter pointed out to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up!" Jesus told his disciples, "Have faith in God! I tell all of you with certainty, if anyone says to this mountain, "Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' if he doesn't doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. That is why I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn't believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will accompany those who believe: In my name they'll drive out demons, they'll speak in new languages, read more. and they'll pick up snakes with their hands.Even if they drink any deadly poison, it won't hurt them, and they'll place their hands on the sick, and they'll recover."
In the synagogue was a man who had a demon. He screamed with a loud voice, "Oh, no! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are the Holy One of God!" read more. But Jesus rebuked him. "Be quiet," he said, "and come out of him!" At this, the demon threw the man down in the middle of the synagogue and came out of him without hurting him. Overwhelmed with amazement, they all kept saying to one another, "What kind of statement is this? because with authority and power he gives orders to unclean spirits, and they come out!" So news about him spread to every place in the surrounding region. Then Jesus got up to leave the synagogue and went into Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, so they asked Jesus about her. He bent over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began serving them.
One day, as the crowd was pressing in on him to listen to God's word, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats lying on the shore, but the fishermen had stepped out of them and were washing their nets. read more. So Jesus got into one of the boats (the one that belonged to Simon) and asked him to push out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and began to teach the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he told Simon, "Push out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I'll lower the nets." After the men had done this, they caught so many fish that the nets began to tear. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats until the boats began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus' knees and said, "Leave me, Lord! I am a sinful man!" - because Simon and all the people who were with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught, and so were James and John, Zebedee's sons and Simon's partners. Then Jesus told Simon, "Stop being afraid. From now on you will be catching people." So when they brought the boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus. One day, while Jesus was in one of the cities, a man covered with leprosy saw Jesus and fell on his face, begging him, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean." So Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, "I do want to. Be clean!" Instantly the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as proof to the authorities." But the news about Jesus spread even more, and many crowds began gathering to hear him and to be healed of their diseases.
Some men were bringing a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to take him into the house and place him in front of Jesus. When they couldn't find a way to get him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on his stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the room, right in front of Jesus. read more. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Mister, your sins are forgiven." The scribes and the Pharisees began to argue among themselves, saying, "Who is this man who is uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Because Jesus knew that they were arguing, he asked them, "Why are you arguing about this among yourselves? Which is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up and walk'? But so you'll know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"." he told the paralyzed man, "I say to you: Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!" So the man immediately stood up in front of them and picked up what he had been lying on. Then he went home, praising God. Amazement seized all the people, and they began to praise God. They were filled with fear and declared, "We have seen wonderful things today!"
Once, on another Sabbath, Jesus went into a synagogue and began teaching. A man whose right hand was paralyzed was there. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, in order to find a way of accusing him of doing something wrong. read more. But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Get up, and stand in the middle of the synagogue." So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus asked them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?" He looked around at all of them and then told the man, "Hold out your hand." The man did so, and his hand was restored to health. The others were furious and began to discuss with each other what they could do to Jesus.
After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were there listening, he went to Capernaum. There a centurion's servant, whom he valued highly, was sick and about to die. read more. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him to ask him to come and save his servant's life. So they went to Jesus and begged him repeatedly, "He deserves to have this done for him, because he loves our people and built our synagogue for us." So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, "Sir, stop troubling yourself, because I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof. That's why I didn't presume to come to you. But just say the word, and let my servant be healed, because I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one "Go' and he goes, to another "Come' and he comes, and to my servant "Do this' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!" Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant in perfect health. Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were going along with him. As he approached the entrance to the city, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he felt compassion for her. He told her, "You can stop crying." Then he went up and touched the bier, and the men who were carrying it stopped. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The man who had been dead sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. Fear gripped everyone, and they began to praise God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said, and "God has helped his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding countryside.
One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat. He told them, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they started out. Now as they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A violent storm swept over the lake, and they were taking on water and were in great danger. read more. So his disciples went to him, woke him up, and kept telling him, "Master! Master! We're going to die!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. They stopped, and there was calm. Then he asked the disciples, "Where's your faith?" Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, "Who is this man? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!" They landed in the region of the Gerasenes, which is just across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped out on the shore, a man from the city met him. This man was controlled by demons and had not worn clothes for a long time. He did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he screamed, fell down in front of him, and cried out in a loud voice, "What do you want from me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you not to torture me!" because Jesus was in the process of ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. On many occasions the unclean spirit had seized the man, and though he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, he would break the chains and be driven by the demon into deserted places. Jesus asked the man, "What's your name?" He answered, "Legion," because many demons had gone into him. Then the demons began begging Jesus not to order them to go into the bottomless pit. Now a large herd of pigs was grazing there on the hillside. So the demons begged Jesus to let them go into those pigs, and he consented to that. Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down a steep slope into the lake and drowned. Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside. So the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind, they were frightened. The people who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people from the region surrounding the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were terrified. So he got into a boat and started back. Now the man from whom the demons had gone out kept begging Jesus to let him go with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Go home and tell what God has done for you." So the man left and kept proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
Just then a synagogue leader by the name of Jairus arrived. He fell at Jesus' feet and kept begging him to come to his home, because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. While Jesus was on his way, the crowds continued to press in on him. read more. A woman was there who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years. Although she had spent all she had on doctors, no one could heal her.
A woman was there who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years. Although she had spent all she had on doctors, no one could heal her. She came up behind Jesus and touched the tassel of his garment, and her bleeding stopped at once.
She came up behind Jesus and touched the tassel of his garment, and her bleeding stopped at once. Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" While everyone was denying it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing in on you."
Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" While everyone was denying it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing in on you." Still Jesus said, "Somebody touched me, because I know that power has gone out of me."
Still Jesus said, "Somebody touched me, because I know that power has gone out of me." When the woman saw that she couldn't hide, she came forward trembling. Bowing down in front of him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched Jesus and how she had been instantly healed.
When the woman saw that she couldn't hide, she came forward trembling. Bowing down in front of him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched Jesus and how she had been instantly healed. Then he told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
Then he told her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace." While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue leader's home and told him, "Your daughter is dead. Stop bothering the teacher anymore." read more. But when Jesus heard this, he told the synagogue leader, "Stop being afraid! Just believe, and she will get well." When he arrived at the man's house, he allowed no one to go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the young girl's father and mother. Now everyone was crying and wailing for her. But Jesus said, "Stop crying! She's not dead. She's sleeping." They laughed and laughed at him, because they knew she was dead. But he took her hand and called out, "Young lady, get up!" So her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then Jesus directed that she be given something to eat. Her parents were amazed, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away to the neighboring villages and farms so they can rest and get some food, because we are here in a deserted place." But he told them, "You give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing more than five loaves of bread and two fish unless we go and buy food for all these people." read more. Now there were about 5,000 men. So he told his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about 50." They did this and got all of them seated. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and kept giving them to the disciples to pass on to the crowd. All of them ate and were filled. When they collected the leftover pieces, there were twelve baskets.
The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. Suddenly, a man in the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he is my only child. read more. Without warning a spirit takes control of him, and he suddenly screams, goes into convulsions, and foams at the mouth. The spirit mauls him and refuses to leave him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't." Jesus answered, "You unbelieving and perverted generation! How much longer must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here!" Even while the boy was coming, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
Jesus was driving a demon out of a man who was unable to talk. When the demon had gone out, the man began to speak, and the crowds were amazed.
A woman was there who had a spirit that had disabled her for eighteen years. She was hunched over and completely unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are free from your illness." read more. Then he placed his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, told the crowd, "There are six days when work is to be done. So come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." The Lord replied to him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey and lead it out of its stall to give it some water? Shouldn't this woman, a descendant of Abraham whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?" Even as he was saying this, all of his opponents were blushing with shame. But the rest of the crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things he was doing.
One day, Jesus was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee on the way to Jerusalem. As he was going into a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance read more. and shouted, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When Jesus saw them, he told them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." While they were going, they were made clean. But one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, came back and praised God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus' feet and thanked him. Now that man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Ten men were made clean, weren't they? Where are the other nine? Except for this foreigner, were any of them found to return and give praise to God?" Then he told the man, "Get up, and go home! Your faith has made you well."
As Jesus was approaching Jericho, there was a blind man sitting by the road begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. read more. They told him that Jesus from Nazareth was coming by. So he shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The people at the front of the crowd sternly told him to be quiet, but he started shouting even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, I want to see again!" So Jesus told him, "See again! Your faith has made you well." Immediately the man could see again and began to follow Jesus, glorifying God. All the people saw this and gave praise to God.
Then one of them struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus said, "No more of this!" So he touched the wounded man's ear and healed him.
On the third day of that week there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. read more. When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother told him, "They don't have any more wine." "How does that concern us, dear lady?" Jesus asked her. "My time hasn't come yet." His mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now standing there were six stone water jars used for the Jewish rites of purification, each one holding from two to three measures. Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them up to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the man in charge of the banquet." So they did. When the man in charge of the banquet tasted the water that had become wine (without knowing where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew), he called for the bridegroom and told him, "Everyone serves the best wine first, and the cheap kind when people are drunk. But you have kept the best wine until now!" Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
So Jesus returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. Meanwhile, in Capernaum there was a government official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him repeatedly to come down and heal his son, because he was about to die. read more. Jesus told him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe." The official told him, "Sir, please come down before my little boy dies." Jesus told him, "Go home. Your son will live." The man believed what Jesus told him and started back home. While he was on his way, his servants met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them at what hour he had begun to recover, and they told him, "The fever left him yesterday at one o'clock in the afternoon." Then the father realized that this was the very hour when Jesus had told him, "Your son will live." So he himself believed, along with his whole family. Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.
When Jesus looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming toward him, he asked Philip, "Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?" Jesus said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. read more. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread isn't enough for each of them to have a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter's brother, told him, "There's a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are these among so many people?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was plenty of grass in that area, so they sat down, numbering about 5,000 men. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated. He also distributed as much fish as they wanted. When they were completely satisfied, Jesus told his disciples, "Collect the pieces that are left over so that nothing is wasted." So they collected and filled twelve baskets full of pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they kept saying, "Truly this is the Prophet who was to come into the world!"
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. Darkness had already fallen, and Jesus had not yet come to them. read more. A strong wind was blowing, and the sea was getting rough. After they had rowed about 25 or 30 stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea toward their boat. They became terrified. But he told them, "It is I. Stop being afraid!" So they were glad to take him on board, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
Groaning deeply again, Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying in front of it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, told him, "Lord, there must be a stench by now, because he's been dead for four days." read more. Jesus told her, "I told you that if you believed you would see God's glory, didn't I?" So they removed the stone. Then Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." After saying this, he shouted with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The man who had died came out, his hands and feet tied with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a handkerchief. Jesus told them, "Untie him, and let him go."
Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is what happened: Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two of his other disciples were together. read more. Simon Peter told them, "I'm going fishing." They all told him, "We'll go with you, too." So they went out and got into the boat but didn't catch a thing that night. Just as dawn was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. The disciples didn't realize it was Jesus. Jesus asked them, "Children, you don't have any fish, do you?" They answered him, "No." He told them, "Throw the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you'll catch some." So they threw it out and were unable to haul it in because it was so full of fish. That disciple whom Jesus kept loving told Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his clothes back on, because he was practically naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. They were only about 200 cubits away from the shore. When they arrived at the shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish lying on it, and some bread. Jesus told them, "Bring me some of the fish you've just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish 153 of them. And although there were so many of them, the net was not torn. Then Jesus told them, "Come, have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?", because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus took the bread, gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he had been raised from the dead.
Of course, Jesus also did many other things, and I suppose that if every one of them were written down, the world couldn't contain the books that would be written.
"Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know.
Now in that city there was a man named Simon. He was practicing occult arts and thrilling the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.
They went through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish occult practitioner and false prophet named Bar-jesus. He was associated with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. He sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas the occult practitioner (that is the meaning of his name) continued to oppose them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
Moreover, many people who had practiced occult arts gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated their value and found them to have been worth 50,000 silver coins.
The signs of an apostle were performed among you with utmost patience signs, wonders, and powerful actions.
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders,
I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. This is the mark in every letter of mine. It is the way I write.
It performs spectacular signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, telling them to make an image for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived.
Smith
Miracles.
A miracle may be defined to be a plain and manifest exercise by a man, or by God at the call of a man, of those powers which belong only to the Creator and Lord of nature; and this for the declared object of attesting that a divine mission is given to that man. It is not, therefore, the wonder, the exception to common experience, that constitutes the miracle, as is assumed both in the popular use of the word and by most objectors against miracles. No phenomenon in nature, however unusual, no event in the course of God's providence, however unexpected, is a miracle unless it can be traced to the agency of man (including prayer under the term agency), and unless it be put forth as a proof of divine mission. Prodigies and special providences are not miracles. (A miracle is not a violation of the laws of nature. It is God's acting upon nature in a degree far beyond our powers, but the same king of act as our wills are continually exerting upon nature. We do not in lifting a stone interfere with any law of nature, but exert a higher force among the laws. Prof. Tyndall says that "science does assert that without a disturbance of natural law quite as serious as the stoppage of an eclipse, or the rolling of the St. Lawrence up the falls of Niagara, no act of humiliation, individual or nation, could call one shower from heaven." And yet men by firing cannon during battle can cause a shower: does that cause such a commotion among the laws of nature? The exertion of a will upon the laws does not make a disturbance of natural law; and a miracle is simply the exertion of God's will upon nature. --ED.) Again, the term "nature" suggests to many persons the idea of a great system of things endowed with powers and forces of its own --a sort of machine, set a-going originally by a first cause, but continuing its motions of itself. Hence we are apt to imagine that a change in the motion or operation of any part of it by God would produce the same disturbance of the other parts as such a change would be likely to produce in them if made by us or by any other natural agent. But if the motions and operations of material things be produced really by the divine will, then his choosing to change, for a special purpose, the ordinary motion of one part does not necessarily or probably imply his choosing to change the ordinary motions of other parts in a way not at all requisite for the accomplishment of that special purpose. It is as easy for him to continue the ordinary course of the rest, with the change of one part, as of all the phenomena without any change at all. Thus, though the stoppage of the motion of the earth in the ordinary course of nature would be attended with terrible convulsions, the stoppage of the earth miraculously, for a special purpose to be served by that only, would not of itself be followed by any such consequences. (Indeed, by the action of gravitation it could be stopped, as a stone thrown up is stopped, in less than two minutes, and yet so gently as not to stir the smallest feather or mote on its surface. --ED.) From the same conception of nature as a machine, we are apt to think of interferences with the ordinary course of nature as implying some imperfection in it. But it is manifest that this is a false analogy; for the reason why machines are made is to save us trouble; and, therefore, they are more perfect in proportion as they answer this purpose. But no one can seriously imagine that the universe is a machine for the purpose of saving trouble to the Almighty. Again, when miracles are described as "interferences with the law of nature," this description makes them appear improbable to many minds, from their not sufficiently considering that the laws of nature interfere with one another, and that we cannot get rid of "interferences" upon any hypothesis consistent with experience. The circumstances of the Christian miracles are utterly unlike those of any pretended instances of magical wonders. This difference consists in -- (1) The greatness, number, completeness and publicity of the miracles. (2) In the character of the miracles. They were all beneficial, helpful, instructive, and worthy of God as their author. (3) The natural beneficial tendency of the doctrine they attested. (4) The connection of them with a whole scheme of revelation extending from the origin of the human race to the time of Christ.
Watsons
MIRACLES. A miracle, in the popular sense, is a prodigy, or an extraordinary event, which surprises us by its novelty. In a more accurate and philosophic sense, a miracle is an effect which does not follow from any of the regular laws of nature, or which is inconsistent with some known law of it, or contrary to the settled constitution and course of things. Accordingly, all miracles presuppose an established system of nature, within the limits of which they operate, and with the order of which they disagree. Of a miracle in the theological sense many definitions have been given. That of Dr. Samuel Clarke is: "A miracle is a work effected in a manner unusual, or different from the common and regular method of providence, by the interposition of God himself, or of some intelligent agent superior to man, for the proof or evidence of some particular doctrine, or in attestation of the authority of some particular person." Mr. Hume has insidiously or erroneously maintained that a miracle is contrary to experience; but in reality it is only different from experience. Experience informs us that one event has happened often; testimony informs us that another event has happened once or more. That diseases should be generally cured by the application of external causes, and sometimes at the mere word of a prophet, and without the visible application of causes, are facts not inconsistent with each other in the nature of things themselves, nor irreconcilable according to our ideas. Each fact may arise from its own proper cause; each may exist independently of the other; and each is known by its own proper proof, whether of sense or testimony. As secret causes often produce events contrary to those we do expect from experience, it is equally conceivable that events should sometimes be produced which we do not expect. To pronounce, therefore, a miracle to be false, because it is different from experience, is only to conclude against its general existence from the very circumstance which constitutes its particular nature; for if it were not different from experience, where would be its singularity? or what particular proof could be drawn from it, if it happened according to the ordinary train of human events, or was included in the operation of the general laws of nature? We grant that it does differ from experience; but we do not presume to make our experience the standard of the divine conduct. He that acknowledges a God must, at least, admit the possibility of a miracle. The atheist, that makes him inseparable from what is called nature, and binds him to its laws by an insurmountable necessity; that deprives him of will, and wisdom, and power, as a distinct and independent Being; may deny even the very possibility of a miraculous interposition, which can in any instance suspend or counteract those general laws by which the world is governed. But he who allows of a First Cause in itself perfect and intelligent, abstractedly from those effects which his wisdom and power have produced, must at the same time allow that this cause can be under no such restraints as to be debarred the liberty of controlling its laws as often as it sees fit. Surely, the Being that made the world can govern it, or any part of it, in such a manner as he pleases; and he that constituted the very laws by which it is in general conducted, may suspend the operation of those laws in any given instance, or impress new powers on matter, in order to produce new and extraordinary effects.
In judging of miracles there are certain criteria, peculiar to the subject, sufficient to conduct our inquiries, and warrant our determination. Assuredly they do not appeal to our ignorance, for they presuppose not only the existence of a general order of things, but our actual knowledge of the appearance which that order exhibits, and of the secondary material causes from which it, in most cases, proceeds. If a miraculous event were effected by the immediate hand of God, and yet bore no mark of distinction from the ordinary effects of his agency, it would impress no conviction, and probably awaken no attention. Our knowledge of the ordinary course of things, though limited, is real; and therefore it is essential to a miracle, both that it differ from that course, and be accompanied with peculiar and unequivocal signs of such difference. We have been told that the course of nature is fixed and unalterable, and therefore it is not consistent with the immutability of God to perform miracles. But, surely, they who reason in this manner beg the point in question. We have no right to assume that the Deity has ordained such general laws as will exclude his interposition; and we cannot suppose that he would forbear to interfere where any important end could be answered. This interposition, though it controls, in particular cases, the energy, does not diminish the utility, of those laws. It leaves them to fulfil their own proper purposes, and affects only a distinct purpose, for which they were not calculated. If the course of nature implies the general laws of matter and motion, into which the most opposite phenomena may be resolved, it is certain that we do not yet know them in their full extent; and, therefore, that events, which are related by judicious and disinterested persons, and at the same time imply no gross contradiction, are possible in themselves, and capable of a certain degree of proof. If the course of nature implies the whole order of events which God has ordained for the government of the world, it includes both his ordinary and extraordinary dispensations, and among them miracles may have their place, as a part of the universal plan. It is, indeed, consistent with sound philosophy, and not inconsistent with pure religion, to acknowledge that they might be disposed by the supreme Being at the same time with the more ordinary effects of his power; that their causes and occasions might be arranged with the same regularity; and that, in reference chiefly to their concomitant circumstances of persons and times, to the specific ends for which they were employed, and to our idea of the immediate necessity there is for a divine agent, miracles would differ from common events, in which the hand of God acts as efficaciously, though less visibly. On this consideration of the subject, miracles, instead of contradicting nature, might form a part of it. But what our limited reason and scanty experience may comprehend should never be represented as a full and exact view of the possible or actual varieties which exist in the works of God.
2. If we be asked whether miracles are credible, we reply, that, abstractedly considered, they are not incredible; that they are capable of indirect proof from analogy, and of direct, from testimony; that in the common and daily course of worldly affairs, events, the improbability of which, antecedently to all testimony, was very great, are proved to have happened, by the authority of competent and honest witnesses; that the Christian miracles were objects of real and proper experience to those who saw them; and that whatsoever the senses of mankind can perceive, their report may substantiate. Should it be asked whether miracles were necessary, and whether the end proposed to be effected by them could warrant so immediate and extraordinary an interference of the Almighty, as such extraordinary operations suppose; to this we might answer, that, if the fact be established, all reasonings a priori concerning their necessity must be frivolous, and may be false. We are not capable of deciding on a question which, however simple in appearance, is yet too complex in its parts, and too extensive in its object, to be fully comprehended by the human understanding. Whether God could or could not have effected all the ends designed to be promoted by the Gospel, without deviating from the common course of his providence, and interfering with its general laws, is a speculation that a modest inquirer would carefully avoid; for it carries on the very face of it a degree of presumption totally unbecoming the state of a mortal being. Infinitely safer is it for us to acquiesce in what the Almighty has done, than
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Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and observe: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the destitute hear the good news.
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons." He knew what they were thinking and told them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. read more. So if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom stand?
We know that God doesn't listen to sinners, but he does listen to anyone who worships him and does his will. Ever since creation it has never been heard that anyone healed the eyes of a man who was born blind. read more. If this man were not from God, he couldn't do anything like that."
Jesus answered them, "I have told you, but you don't believe it. The actions that I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf,
If I'm not doing my Father's actions, don't believe me.
So the high priests and the Pharisees assembled the Council and said, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation."