Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible









So the disciples decided to send relief, every man according to his means, to the brothers in Judea. This they did, forwarding their contributions to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

But some men came down from Judea and attempted to teach the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised according to Moses' custom, you cannot be saved." Now when dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, the brethren appointed Paul and Barnabas, and certain others, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. So the church saw them off on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria. Here they set forth the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. read more.
Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were received by the church and the apostles and elders, and they told them all things that God had done with them. But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, but were now believers, stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise Gentile, and to order them to keep the Law of Moses." The apostles and elders met to consider the matter; and after there had been a long discussion, Peter rose and said: "Brothers, you know how a good while ago God made choice among you, that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the message of the gospel and believe. "And God, who knows the hearts of all, gave this testimony in their behalf, by bestowing upon them the Holy Spirit just as he did upon us; "and he made no distinction between us and them, in cleansing their hearts by faith. "Now then, why are you tempting God by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? "On the contrary we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that we and they shall be saved." Then the whole assembly remained silent, and listened to Barnabas and Saul as they told the signs and wonders which God had wrought among the Gentiles through them. When they had finished speaking, James said: "Brothers, listen to me. Symeon has told how God first looked graciously upon the Gentiles, to take out from among them a people to be called by his name. "And this is in harmony with the language of the prophets, which says. "After these things I will return, And I will rebuild David's fallen tent; And I will build again its ruins, And I will set it up; "So that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, Even all the Gentiles, who are called by my name, "Says the Lord, who has been making this known from the beginning of the world. "My judgment therefore, is against troubling those who turn to God from among the Gentiles; "but that we should write to them to abstain from the pollution of idols and from fornication, from meat killed by strangling, and from blood. "For Moses from the earliest times has had his preachers in every town where he is read aloud, Sabbath after Sabbath, in the synagogues." Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to select some of their number, and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The men chosen were Judas called Bar-Sabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. They took with them the following letter. "The apostles and older brothers send greeting to the Gentile Brotherhood throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia; "as we have heard that some of your number who went out from us have troubled you with words and upset your souls, without having received any such instruction from us; "we have unanimously decided to select certain men, and to send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul; "men who have risked their very lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "So we have sent Judas and Silas to tell you the same things by word of mouth. "For it has seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; "that you abstain from food that has been sacrificed to idols, and from tasting blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear from these things and it will be well with you. Farewell." So they, when they had been dispatched, went down to Antioch, and after gathering the whole multitude together, they handed them the letter, and when they had read it they rejoiced at the comfort it brought. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many a good counsel. After spending some time there the brothers let them go with a greeting of peace to those who had sent them. Silas, however, stayed with them. Paul and Barnabas also stayed in Antioch teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord, in company with others.



And as they went on their way through the cities they handed them the resolutions which the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem had ordained for them to keep. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and continued to increase in number daily.

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church to come to him; Verse ConceptsAttending Churchelders, in the churchOfficersChurch GovernmentChurch, Examples Ofeldersgoodbyes

Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, and be shepherds of the church of God which he has purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock; and that from among your own number, men will arise, perverting the truth, to draw away the disciples after them. read more.
So be on guard; and remember that for three years I ceased not to admonish you all, night and day, even with tears. "And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace. He is able to build you up, and to give you your inheritance among all those who are consecrated.

On the following day we went with Paul to call on James, and all the elders were present. Verse Conceptselders, in the churchGoing To ChurchThe Elderlyelders

Let the elders who fill their offices well, be held worthy of twofold honor; especially those who have the task of preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, You must not muzzle an ox when he is treading out the grain, and The worker is worth his wages. Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you might set right the things left unfinished, and appoint presbyters in every city as I had instructed you; men who are blameless, the husband of one wife, with believing children who are not accused of riot or insubordination. For indeed a presiding officer, as God's steward, ought to be blameless, not self-willed or quick-tempered, not a drunkard or violent, or greedy of filthy lucre; read more.
but he must be hospitable, a lover of the good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled. He must hold to the faithful word according to the teaching, so that he may be able both to encourage by sound teaching, and to confute our opponents.

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For by it men of old times had witness borne to them. Verse ConceptsApprovalPeople Commended By God

Is any in good spirits? Let him sing unto his harp. Is any one of you ill? Let him send for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, after anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will restore the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him.

Now to you who are presbyters I make this appeal; for I am myself a presbyter, and was a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory about to be revealed. Be shepherds to your flock of God; take charge of them willingly, and not through compulsion; not for filthy lucre, but with a willing mind; not by way of lording it over your heritage, but by becoming examples to the flock. read more.
Then, when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, you too will receive the fadeless wreath of glory. You younger men must submit to the presbyters; and all of you must put on the garment of humility and serve one another, for God resists the haughty, But gives grace to the humble.

The Elder to the Elect Lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have come to know the truth. Verse ConceptsElection, Description OfLove Exists Between PeopleKnowing God's TruthLove And RelationshipsLove And FamilyLoving Children

The Elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Verse ConceptsAffection, GoodThose Who Loved

"For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." Verse ConceptsAbasement Of The ProudLove, Abuse OfPride, Evil OfPromotionThe Proud Will Be AbasedHumbling OneselfAbasementBeing HumbleHumble Yourself



then he said to them. "Whoever shall receive this little child in my name receives me; and whoever shall receive me receives him that sent me. For it is the lowliest among you all who is great." Verse ConceptsGod, Unity OfReceptivenessAcceptance, Of Jesus ChristInferiorityWelcoming ChristWelcoming BelieversIn The Name Of ChristGreatness Of DisciplesThe One Who Sent Christ




"For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." Verse ConceptsAbasement Of The ProudLove, Abuse OfPride, Evil OfPromotionThe Proud Will Be AbasedHumbling OneselfAbasementBeing HumbleHumble Yourself



then he said to them. "Whoever shall receive this little child in my name receives me; and whoever shall receive me receives him that sent me. For it is the lowliest among you all who is great." Verse ConceptsGod, Unity OfReceptivenessAcceptance, Of Jesus ChristInferiorityWelcoming ChristWelcoming BelieversIn The Name Of ChristGreatness Of DisciplesThe One Who Sent Christ







For I am the least of the apostles, I who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and that grace of his, bestowed upon me, did not prove ineffectual. I labored more abundantly than all the rest, yet not I, but by the grace of God that is with me.

It is of this gospel I became a minister according to the gift of the power of the grace of God, bestowed on me by the energy of his power. To me, who am less than the least of all saints, has this grace been given, that I should proclaim among the Gentiles the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ;

I summon you then, I the prisoner in the Lord, to live lives worthy of the calling to which you were called. With all humility and gentleness and long-suffering forbear with one another in love; and endeavor to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. read more.
There is one body and one spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. And to each one of us was grace given according to the measure of the munificence of Christ.





"For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." Verse ConceptsAbasement Of The ProudLove, Abuse OfPride, Evil OfPromotionThe Proud Will Be AbasedHumbling OneselfAbasementBeing HumbleHumble Yourself

Moreover he spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves because they were righteous, and looked down upon the rest. "Two men are going up to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a tax-gatherer. "The Pharisee stood apart and thus began to pray by himself. "'O God, I thank thee that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax gatherer; read more.
"'I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all my possessions.' "But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "'O God be merciful to me, the sinner!' "I tell you that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself shall be humbled; but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."



At that hour his disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Who is really greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" When he had called a little child to him, Jesus set him among them, and answered. "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will not even enter the kingdom of heaven. read more.
"Whoever therefore will humble himself like this little child, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven;

You younger men must submit to the presbyters; and all of you must put on the garment of humility and serve one another, for God resists the haughty, But gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves under God's mighty hand, so that he may exalt you in due time.




"But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when your host arrives he may say to you, 'My friend, come up higher.' Then you will be honored before the other guest. Verse ConceptsPresumptionSeatsMoving UpwardsReclining To EatBe Humble!Guest RoomsBeing HumbleMoving OnMoving To A New PlaceWaiting Till Marriageovereating


True, through their unbelief they were broken off, and by your faith you stand. Do not be puffed up, but fear; Verse ConceptsStandingUnbelief, Nature And Effects OfArrogance, Rejection OfSaved By FaithDo Not Be ProudDoubting GodBelieving In YourselfUnbelief Toward God


"But you shall not be so. But he who is greater among you let him become like the younger; and he who is leader like him who serves. Verse ConceptsBeing A LeaderAmbition, Warnings RegardingServant, BondPresumptionUnselfishnessPriorityServants Of PeopleGreatness Of DisciplesLike ChildrenDifferent TeachingsServant Leadership








Submit yourselves one to another out of reverence for Christ. Wives likewise to their husbands as to the Lord,

Submit yourselves, for the Lord's sake, to every human authority; whether it be to the Emperor as supreme ruler, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the encouragement of well-doers. For it is the will of God that by well-doing you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.