Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible




For a Savior has been born today in David's city [i.e., Bethlehem], who is Christ the Lord [i.e., God's specially chosen one].


For God did not send His Son into the world to be its judge [i.e., to condemn it], but [rather] so that the people of the world could be saved [from condemnation] though Him.


But God exalted Him at His right side to be a Prince and Savior and to give the people of Israel [an opportunity] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] and [receive] forgiveness of [their] sins [through Him].

[Now] it was this David's descendant Jesus who was sent to Israel as their Savior, just as God had promised.

But, it has [only] now been made known to us by the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has put an end to death and brought [never ending] life and incorruption [i.e., immortality] to light through the Gospel [message],





Loved ones, we should have love for one another, because love comes from [the very nature of] God, and every person who [continually] loves [others] has been [spiritually] conceived by God [See 2:29; 3:9], and knows [he is in fellowship with] God. The person who does not love [others] does not know God [as Savior], for [the very nature of] God is love. Here is the way God's love for us was demonstrated; He sent His one and only Son into the world so that we could have [spiritual] life through Him. read more.
Here is [the essence of] love: [It is] not that we loved God [first], but that He loved us [See Rom. 5:6-8] and sent His Son to be a "covering over" [i.e., atonement, 2:2] for our sins. Loved ones, if God loved us that much, we should also love one another. No person has gazed upon God [at any time]; [but] if we love one another, God [continually] lives in our hearts, and His love is made complete within us. This is [one way] to know we live in [fellowship with] God and that He lives in our hearts: [It is] because He has given us His Holy Spirit [to live within us, See 3:24]. And we [apostles] have seen and are [reliable] witnesses that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world [See 1:2; 2:2]. 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]. And we have known [with certainty] and have believed [with assurance] that God has truly loved us. God's [very nature] is love and the person who [continually] loves [Him and others] lives in [fellowship with] God [continually], and God [continually] lives in that person's heart. Here is what a complete love will do for us: It will give us boldness in [facing] the judgment day, because the way Jesus acts [regarding love] is the way we should act [while] in this world. There is no [reason for] fear if one [really] loves, but a complete love removes fear [from us] because fear produces punishment [i.e., mental anxiety], and the person who is [always] afraid does not have a complete love. We love [God and others] because God has first loved us. 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. And this is the [greatest] commandment [See Matt. 2:37-38] we have received from Him: [It requires] that the person who [claims to] love God should also love his brother.



For a Savior has been born today in David's city [i.e., Bethlehem], who is Christ the Lord [i.e., God's specially chosen one].


For God did not send His Son into the world to be its judge [i.e., to condemn it], but [rather] so that the people of the world could be saved [from condemnation] though Him.


But God exalted Him at His right side to be a Prince and Savior and to give the people of Israel [an opportunity] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] and [receive] forgiveness of [their] sins [through Him].

[Now] it was this David's descendant Jesus who was sent to Israel as their Savior, just as God had promised.

But, it has [only] now been made known to us by the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has put an end to death and brought [never ending] life and incorruption [i.e., immortality] to light through the Gospel [message],