Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Blindness » Those that walk in darkness
But the person who hates his brother is in the darkness [of sin] and he lives in [harmony with] that darkness, and he does not know where he is heading, because the darkness [of sin] has blinded his eyes [to his spiritual condition].
Verse Concepts
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? [i.e., hours of daylight]. If a person walks during daylight, he will not stumble because he can see [by] the sun's light. But if he walks at night he [might] stumble, because there is no light [to see by]. [Note: These words have a figurative meaning as Jesus is speaking about His mission in life].
So, Jesus said to them, "The Light will be among you for only a little while [longer]. Walk around while you [still] have the Light [with you], before darkness surrounds you. For the person who walks around in darkness does not know where he is going. [So], believe in the Light [i.e., Jesus is speaking of Himself] while you [still] have the Light [with you], so that you can become enlightened people." After Jesus said these things, He left there and hid Himself from them.
So, I tell you this, and insist [on it] by [the authority of] the Lord: Do not continue to live with worthless thoughts as [unconverted] Gentiles do. Their understanding [of spiritual things] is darkened and excluded from the [spiritual] life that God gives, because of the ignorance in their minds and the stubbornness in their hearts.
And this is the message we heard from Him, and [now want to] announce to you: God is light [i.e. righteousness] and in His [very nature] there is no trace of darkness [i.e., evil]. If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.
spiritual Blindness » Is consistent with communion with God
If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life. But, if we live in the light [of righteousness] just like God [constantly] lives in the light [of righteousness], we can truly share a relationship with one another and [can know that] the blood of Jesus, God's Son, continues to cleanse [our spirits] from all of our sins.
Confession » Of Christ
"And I tell you, every person who acknowledges me in front of people [i.e., to be his Lord and Christ], the Son of man will also acknowledge him in front of God's angels.
Verse Concepts
"I certainly am immersing you in water following [your] repentance, but the One who follows my [ministry], whose sandals I do not deserve to remove [as His slave], will immerse you people with the Holy Spirit and with fire [i.e., the punishment in hell. See verses
Verse Concepts
Therefore, I am telling you that no one who speaks under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God says, "Jesus is cursed!" And no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Verse Concepts
Whoever proclaims that Jesus is the Son of God, God [continually] lives in that person's heart, and he lives in [fellowship with] God [See 2:23].
Verse Concepts
Here is how to know [who is speaking from] the Holy Spirit of God: Every spirit [i.e., person] who proclaims that Jesus Christ has come [to earth] in a physical body is [speaking] from God. [See I Cor. 12:3]. But every spirit who does not proclaim [this truth about] Jesus is not [speaking] from God. And this [person] represents the spirit of the antichrist [See 2:18-22; II John 7], whom you have heard would come. Well, now he is already here!
However, even many [Jewish] leaders believed in Him, but did not admit it, for fear of being expelled from the synagogue. For they loved the honor they received from people more than the honor they [could] receive from God.
"Not every person who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but [only] that person who does what my Father in heaven requires. Many persons will say to me on the [judgment] day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by [the authority of] your name, and drive out evil spirits and perform many powerful [supernatural] deeds by your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never acknowledged you [as my people]; go away from me, you people who have done sinful things.'
Therefore, every person who acknowledges me in front of people [i.e., to be their Lord and Christ], I will acknowledge him [i.e., to be my disciple] in front of my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me in front of people [i.e., denies that I am the Christ, or that he is a disciple. See John 18:15-17, 25-27], I will disown him in front of my Father in heaven.
John gave testimony about Jesus, shouting out, "This person is the one about whom I said, 'He who will come after me ranks above me because He existed before me.'" For we have all received from His full richness one favor after another. For the law was given through Moses; [but] God's favor and truth came through Jesus Christ. read more.
No one has ever seen God [i.e., His full splendor], but God, the only conceived [and eventually born Son], who is at the Father's side, has shown us who He is.
No one has ever seen God [i.e., His full splendor], but God, the only conceived [and eventually born Son], who is at the Father's side, has shown us who He is.
His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities who had already decided that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be expelled from the synagogue. So, his parents said, "He is old enough, ask him." So, they called the [former] blind man a second time, and said to him, "Give honor to God [Note: In Jewish idiom this phrase meant "Tell the truth." See Josh. 7:19]; we know this man is a sinner." read more.
So, he answered, "I do not know if he is a sinner or not. But one thing I do know; I used to be blind, but now I can see." The Pharisees said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he restore your sight?" He answered them, "I just told you, but you would not listen. Why should I tell you again? Do you men want to become his disciples, too?" Then they began ridiculing him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not [even] know where he came from." The man replied, "Is not that strange! You do not know where he came from and yet he restored my sight! [Note: The next sentence may be the beggar stating the Pharisees' argument. See verse 24]. We know that God does not listen to sinners [i.e., when they pray]; but God does listen to the person who reveres Him and does what He wants. It has never been heard of, since the world was created, that anyone has restored sight to a man born blind. Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do anything [like this]." They replied to the beggar, "You were born entirely in sins [i.e., you have been a sinner all your life], and you are [trying] to teach us?" Then they threw him out [of the synagogue. See verse 22]. [When] Jesus heard that they had thrown the beggar out, He found him and asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "Who is he, sir? [Tell me], so I can believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen Him and He is the One who is talking with you." And the man said, "Lord, I believe." And he knelt in front of Jesus [i.e., in reverence].
So, he answered, "I do not know if he is a sinner or not. But one thing I do know; I used to be blind, but now I can see." The Pharisees said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he restore your sight?" He answered them, "I just told you, but you would not listen. Why should I tell you again? Do you men want to become his disciples, too?" Then they began ridiculing him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not [even] know where he came from." The man replied, "Is not that strange! You do not know where he came from and yet he restored my sight! [Note: The next sentence may be the beggar stating the Pharisees' argument. See verse 24]. We know that God does not listen to sinners [i.e., when they pray]; but God does listen to the person who reveres Him and does what He wants. It has never been heard of, since the world was created, that anyone has restored sight to a man born blind. Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do anything [like this]." They replied to the beggar, "You were born entirely in sins [i.e., you have been a sinner all your life], and you are [trying] to teach us?" Then they threw him out [of the synagogue. See verse 22]. [When] Jesus heard that they had thrown the beggar out, He found him and asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "Who is he, sir? [Tell me], so I can believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen Him and He is the One who is talking with you." And the man said, "Lord, I believe." And he knelt in front of Jesus [i.e., in reverence].
Show 6 more verses
So, Philip opened his mouth, and beginning [his message] from this Scripture [passage], he preached to him [about] Jesus. As they [i.e., Philip, the Ethiopian eunuch and his attendants] traveled along they came to a certain [body of] water. The [Ethiopian] eunuch said, "Look, here is [a body of] water, why can't I be immersed [right now]?" {{Verse is absent from many manuscripts}}.
But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia [i.e., from the town of Berea], Paul began devoting his full time to declaring the message to Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
Verse Concepts
Paul [then] said, "John immersed people who [demonstrated their] repentance, telling them they must believe in Jesus, the One who would come after him." When they heard this they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus.
So, if you profess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For a person believes [in Christ] with his heart in order to be made right with God, and he makes a profession with his lips in order to be saved. For the Scripture says [Isa. 28:16], "Whoever believes in Him [i.e., Christ] will not be put to shame." [i.e., he will never have unforgiven sin brought up against him]
If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.
Verse Concepts
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.
Verse Concepts
Confession » The reward for confessing sin
So, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another to be healed [from sin sickness]. The special request of a righteous person is empowered with [great] effectiveness.
Verse Concepts
And this is the message we heard from Him, and [now want to] announce to you: God is light [i.e. righteousness] and in His [very nature] there is no trace of darkness [i.e., evil]. If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life. But, if we live in the light [of righteousness] just like God [constantly] lives in the light [of righteousness], we can truly share a relationship with one another and [can know that] the blood of Jesus, God's Son, continues to cleanse [our spirits] from all of our sins. read more.
If we claim to have no sinful practices [in our lives], we are self-deceived and are not being truthful about the matter. [But] if we confess our sins [to God], He is faithful [to His promise] and righteous [in His judgment], and will forgive us of those sins and cleanse us from all of our wrongdoing.
If we claim to have no sinful practices [in our lives], we are self-deceived and are not being truthful about the matter. [But] if we confess our sins [to God], He is faithful [to His promise] and righteous [in His judgment], and will forgive us of those sins and cleanse us from all of our wrongdoing.
Darkness » Those that walk in darkness
But the person who hates his brother is in the darkness [of sin] and he lives in [harmony with] that darkness, and he does not know where he is heading, because the darkness [of sin] has blinded his eyes [to his spiritual condition].
Verse Concepts
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? [i.e., hours of daylight]. If a person walks during daylight, he will not stumble because he can see [by] the sun's light. But if he walks at night he [might] stumble, because there is no light [to see by]. [Note: These words have a figurative meaning as Jesus is speaking about His mission in life].
So, Jesus said to them, "The Light will be among you for only a little while [longer]. Walk around while you [still] have the Light [with you], before darkness surrounds you. For the person who walks around in darkness does not know where he is going. [So], believe in the Light [i.e., Jesus is speaking of Himself] while you [still] have the Light [with you], so that you can become enlightened people." After Jesus said these things, He left there and hid Himself from them.
So, I tell you this, and insist [on it] by [the authority of] the Lord: Do not continue to live with worthless thoughts as [unconverted] Gentiles do. Their understanding [of spiritual things] is darkened and excluded from the [spiritual] life that God gives, because of the ignorance in their minds and the stubbornness in their hearts.
And this is the message we heard from Him, and [now want to] announce to you: God is light [i.e. righteousness] and in His [very nature] there is no trace of darkness [i.e., evil]. If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.
Fellowship » With God
And God lives in the heart of the person who [continually] obeys His commands, and he lives in [fellowship with] God. And here is [another] way we know that God lives in our hearts: It is by [means of] the Holy Spirit, whom God gave to us. [See Rom. 8:9, 11; James 4:5; I Cor. 6:19].
Verse Concepts
And what agreement is there between a temple of God and idols? For we are a temple of the living God, just as God said [Lev. 26:12], "I will live in them and walk among them [i.e., among His people]; and I will be their God and they will be my people."
Verse Concepts
"Whoever welcomes one such little child [as this] for my sake, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, does not welcome me [only], but [also] the One who sent me."
Verse Concepts
[I pray] that all of them may be one, just as you, Father, are [one] in [fellowship with] me, and I [am one] in [fellowship with] you, so that they also may be [one] in [fellowship with] us in order that the world may [see it and] believe that you sent me.
Verse Concepts
I in them, and you in me, so that they may be completely one. [This is] so the world will know that you sent me and that you love them just as you love me.
Verse Concepts
We declare to you what we have seen and heard [concerning Christ], so that you also may share a relationship with us. And indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Verse Concepts
Jesus answered him, "If a person loves me, he will obey my teaching, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him [i.e., in the person of the indwelling Holy Spirit].
Verse Concepts
Show 8 more verses
Finally, brothers, good-bye [or, "be glad"]. Be fully restored [spiritually]. Be comforted [or, "exhort one another"]. Think alike on things. Be at peace among yourselves. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Verse Concepts
And this is the message we heard from Him, and [now want to] announce to you: God is light [i.e. righteousness] and in His [very nature] there is no trace of darkness [i.e., evil]. If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life. But, if we live in the light [of righteousness] just like God [constantly] lives in the light [of righteousness], we can truly share a relationship with one another and [can know that] the blood of Jesus, God's Son, continues to cleanse [our spirits] from all of our sins.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look, the Tabernacle of God [i.e., God's presence] is with people and He will live with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be among them {{Some ancient manuscripts add "and will be their God"}}. And He will wipe away all the tears from their eyes, and there will not be death anymore, or mourning, or crying, or pain anymore, for these old things have passed away."
Fellowship » Those that say they have fellowship with the lord, but are disobedient
And this is the message we heard from Him, and [now want to] announce to you: God is light [i.e. righteousness] and in His [very nature] there is no trace of darkness [i.e., evil]. If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.
My little children [i.e., dear ones], I am writing this to you so that you will not sin anymore. But if anyone does sin, we have Someone to go to the Father on our behalf; it is Jesus Christ, the [only] righteous One. And He is the One who provides a "covering over" [or atonement] for our sins [See Heb. 2:17; Dan. 9:24; II Chron. 29:24], and not for ours [who are already Christians] only, but also for the sins of the people of the whole world. And here is how we can be assured that we know Jesus [i.e., that we are saved]: [It is] by obeying what He commands us. read more.
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.
Lying » Antinomians guilty of
If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.
Verse Concepts
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.
Verse Concepts
Lying/lies » Who is a liar
And this is the message we heard from Him, and [now want to] announce to you: God is light [i.e. righteousness] and in His [very nature] there is no trace of darkness [i.e., evil]. If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.
Jesus replied, "If God were [truly] your Father you would love me, because I came from God to be here. For I did not come on my own authority, but God sent me. Why do you people not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot [bear to] listen to my message. You belong to your father the devil, and you are [always] wanting to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the [very] beginning [Note: This is probably a reference to Satan's influence on Adam, Eve and Cain in the Garden of Eden] and does not stand for the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he only speaks what is part of his nature, because he is a liar and the father of [all] liars.
My little children [i.e., dear ones], I am writing this to you so that you will not sin anymore. But if anyone does sin, we have Someone to go to the Father on our behalf; it is Jesus Christ, the [only] righteous One. And He is the One who provides a "covering over" [or atonement] for our sins [See Heb. 2:17; Dan. 9:24; II Chron. 29:24], and not for ours [who are already Christians] only, but also for the sins of the people of the whole world. And here is how we can be assured that we know Jesus [i.e., that we are saved]: [It is] by obeying what He commands us. read more.
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.
If a person says, "I love God," yet [in reality] hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot [possibly] love God, whom he has never seen.
Verse Concepts
Truth » Who the truth is not in
Loved ones, do not believe [the message of] every spirit [i.e., every person claiming to be a teacher], but test the spirits [i.e., require proof that they and their message are genuine] to see whether they represent God [or not], because many false prophets have begun circulating throughout the world. Here is how to know [who is speaking from] the Holy Spirit of God: Every spirit [i.e., person] who proclaims that Jesus Christ has come [to earth] in a physical body is [speaking] from God. [See I Cor. 12:3]. But every spirit who does not proclaim [this truth about] Jesus is not [speaking] from God. And this [person] represents the spirit of the antichrist [See 2:18-22; II John 7], whom you have heard would come. Well, now he is already here!
And this is the message we heard from Him, and [now want to] announce to you: God is light [i.e. righteousness] and in His [very nature] there is no trace of darkness [i.e., evil]. If we claim to share a relationship with God and yet live in darkness [i.e., in a sinful way], we are lying and are not living a truthful life.
Jesus replied, "If God were [truly] your Father you would love me, because I came from God to be here. For I did not come on my own authority, but God sent me. Why do you people not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot [bear to] listen to my message. You belong to your father the devil, and you are [always] wanting to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the [very] beginning [Note: This is probably a reference to Satan's influence on Adam, Eve and Cain in the Garden of Eden] and does not stand for the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he only speaks what is part of his nature, because he is a liar and the father of [all] liars.
My little children [i.e., dear ones], I am writing this to you so that you will not sin anymore. But if anyone does sin, we have Someone to go to the Father on our behalf; it is Jesus Christ, the [only] righteous One. And He is the One who provides a "covering over" [or atonement] for our sins [See Heb. 2:17; Dan. 9:24; II Chron. 29:24], and not for ours [who are already Christians] only, but also for the sins of the people of the whole world. And here is how we can be assured that we know Jesus [i.e., that we are saved]: [It is] by obeying what He commands us. read more.
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.
The person who says, "I have come to know Him," but does not obey what He commands, is lying [by such a profession], and the truth [about the matter] is not in his heart.