Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible






Be an example of good works in all things, showing no corruption in your doctrine. Have sound speech that cannot be condemned so the man opposing us may be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

I said to them: We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free. They were servants and prisoners of the nations. Would you now give up your brothers for a price? Are they to become our property? They said nothing. They answered not a word! I said: What you are doing is not good. Is it not necessary for you to walk out of respect for our God, because of the shame the nations put on us? Even I and my servants have been collecting interest (Usury) for the money and the grain we have let them have. So now, let us give this up. read more.
Give back to them this very day their fields, their vine-gardens, their olive-gardens, and their houses, as well as a hundredth part of the money and the grain and the wine and the oil that you have taken from them. They said: We will give them back, and take nothing for them. We will do as you say. Then I sent for the priests and made them take an oath that they would keep this agreement. Shaking out the folds of my robe, I said: So, may God send out from his house and his work every man who does not keep this agreement. Even so let him be sent out and made as nothing. All the people said: Amen! They praised Jehovah. The people did as they said. From the time when I was made ruler of the people in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year till the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, my servants and I have never taken the food that was the right of the ruler. Earlier rulers who came before me made the people responsible for their upkeep, and took from them bread and wine at the rate of forty shekels of silver. Even their servants were lords over the people. But I did not do so, out of reverence for God. I kept on with the work of this wall. We got no land for ourselves. All my servants helped with the work. There is more, a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers were guests at my table, in addition to those who came to us from the nations nearby. The food for one day included: one bull and six fat sheep, as well as fowls; and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. All the same, I did not take the food to which the ruler had a right, because the people were crushed under a hard yoke. Keep in mind, O my God, for my good, all I have done for this people.

I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

You imitated the Lord and us, even though you suffered much affliction. Yet you received the word with the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. So you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For not only did the message about God go out from you throughout Macedonia and Achaia, but the news about your faith in God has gone everywhere. There is nothing that we need to say.

Brothers, accept the example of suffering and patience by the prophets who spoke in the name of God. As you know, those who have endured are called blessed. You have heard of the patience (perseverance) (endurance) of Job, and have seen the outcome Jehovah provided, how he was very tender with his affection and mercy. (Psalm 103:8)

Beloved, I request that you as aliens and strangers abstain from fleshly lust (desires), which causes conflict in you. Maintain fine behavior among the nations. That way when they speak badly about you, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation (inspection). Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it is to the king, read more.
or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do good. It is God's will that you do the right things and that this will silence the ignorance of foolish men. Be free, and yet do not use your freedom for a covering for evil, but as servants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Reverence and respect God. Honor the king. Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle master but also to the hard to please. For this is to your credit to suffer wrongfully and endure grief because of your conscience toward God. What value is there when you sin, and are buffeted for it, you take it patiently? But if, when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For this you were called because Christ also suffered for you. He left you an example (a copy for imitation) (a model) that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin and deception was not found in him. When he was reviled (insulted), he did not revile in return. When he suffered he did not threaten, but committed himself to him that judges righteously. He bore our sins in his body upon the stake, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed because of his wounds (stripes). For you were straying like sheep. But now you have returned to your shepherd and overseer.

The holy women of old, who hoped in God, adorned themselves this way, being submissive to their own husbands. Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You are her children now, if you do what is right and are not fearful.



Timothy came from you to us, and brought us good news about your faith and love. We want you to have good memories of us always, and that you desire to see us just as we also desire to see you. Brothers, your faith has comforted us. In all our trouble and suffering we are encouraged. Now we live, if you (persevere) stand fast in the Lord.

Our friends, we should thank God at all times for you. It is right for us to do so, because your faith is growing so much and the love each of you has for the other abounds toward each other. That is why we boast (rejoice) (have glory) about you in the congregations of God. We boast (rejoice) (have glory) about the way you continue to endure and believe through all the persecutions and sufferings you experience.



What then? That in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed! For that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice! For I know that this will turn out to my redemption through your prayer and the provision of the spirit (vital principles) (mind) of Jesus Christ.








It is not because we do not have the right, but to make ourselves an example for you to imitate us.












It is not because we do not have the right, but to make ourselves an example for you to imitate us.






The righteous perishes and no man takes it to heart. Merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil. He will enter into peace. The honorable and honest will rest in his bed.

Too bad for me! For I am like the gathered summer fruit, as the grape gleanings of the vintage. There is no cluster to eat. I desire the first ripe fig. The godly (loyal) (holy) man has perished from the earth. There is none upright among men! They all lie in wait for blood. Every man hunts his own brother with a net.

While we were yet weak, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die. Perhaps for the good man some one would even dare to die. But God demonstrates (commends) his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. read more.
Much more, now justified by his blood, we will be saved from the wrath of God through him.

You imitated the Lord and us, even though you suffered much affliction. Yet you received the word with the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. So you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For not only did the message about God go out from you throughout Macedonia and Achaia, but the news about your faith in God has gone everywhere. There is nothing that we need to say. read more.
All those people speak about how you received us when we visited you, and how you turned away from idols to God, to serve the true and living God, and to wait for his Son to come from heaven, his Son Jesus, whom he raised from death and who rescues us from God's anger (indignation) that is to come.

You are all the children (sons) of light, and the children of the day. We are not of the night, not of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep like others do. But let us watch and be sober. They that sleep do so in the night. They that get drunk are drunk in the night. read more.
Let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love; and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God has not appointed us to experience his wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, that, whether we are awake in this life or sleep in death, we should live together with him. Comfort each other and strengthen one another as you are doing.