Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Jesus Christ » Kingdom of » Its nature
and said: "I solemnly say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you can never get into the kingdom of heaven at all. So then, whoever becomes as lowly as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,
He continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this present world; I do not belong to this present world.
He told them another story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed seed in his field. But while the world was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed wild wheat seed in the midst of the good seed, and went away. And when the wheat plants grew up and yielded their ripened grain, the wild wheat plants appeared too. read more.
And the farmer's slaves came up to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did the wild wheat plants come from?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' Then they said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them?' And he said, 'No, never, for while you are gathering the wild wheat plants you might root up the good ones with them. Let them both grow together until harvest time, and at the harvest time I will order the reapers, "Gather first the wild wheat plants and tie them into bundles to be burned up, but get the wheat into my barn."'" He told them this story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is grown it is the largest of plants; yea, it grows into a tree, so that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told another story: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to yeast which a woman took and worked into a bushel of flour until it all had risen." Jesus told the crowds all this in stories, and without a story He told them nothing, to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in stories, I will utter truths concealed since creation." Then He left the crowds and went into His house. And His disciples came up to Him and said, "Explain to us the story of the wild wheat in the field." And He answered: "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the kingdom; the wild wheat seed are the followers of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the close of the age, the reapers are angels. Just as the wild wheat plants are gathered and burned up, so it will be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all those who cause wrongdoing, and the wrongdoers, and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment; there they will wail and grind their teeth. Then the upright will shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears listen! "The kingdom of heaven is like a pot of gold which was buried in a field, which a man found and buried again; and for joy over it he went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a gem-dealer who was looking for beautiful pearls. One day he found a very costly pearl, and he went and sold all he had and bought it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was let down into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind, which, when it was full, the fishermen drew up on the shore, and sat down and picked out the good fish for their baskets and threw the bad away. So it will be at the close of the age; the angels will go out and separate the wicked from the upright, and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment. There they will wail and grind their teeth. "Do you understand all these stories?" They answered Him, "Yes."
And the farmer's slaves came up to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did the wild wheat plants come from?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' Then they said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them?' And he said, 'No, never, for while you are gathering the wild wheat plants you might root up the good ones with them. Let them both grow together until harvest time, and at the harvest time I will order the reapers, "Gather first the wild wheat plants and tie them into bundles to be burned up, but get the wheat into my barn."'" He told them this story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is grown it is the largest of plants; yea, it grows into a tree, so that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told another story: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to yeast which a woman took and worked into a bushel of flour until it all had risen." Jesus told the crowds all this in stories, and without a story He told them nothing, to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in stories, I will utter truths concealed since creation." Then He left the crowds and went into His house. And His disciples came up to Him and said, "Explain to us the story of the wild wheat in the field." And He answered: "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the kingdom; the wild wheat seed are the followers of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the close of the age, the reapers are angels. Just as the wild wheat plants are gathered and burned up, so it will be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all those who cause wrongdoing, and the wrongdoers, and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment; there they will wail and grind their teeth. Then the upright will shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears listen! "The kingdom of heaven is like a pot of gold which was buried in a field, which a man found and buried again; and for joy over it he went and sold all he had and bought that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a gem-dealer who was looking for beautiful pearls. One day he found a very costly pearl, and he went and sold all he had and bought it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was let down into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind, which, when it was full, the fishermen drew up on the shore, and sat down and picked out the good fish for their baskets and threw the bad away. So it will be at the close of the age; the angels will go out and separate the wicked from the upright, and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment. There they will wail and grind their teeth. "Do you understand all these stories?" They answered Him, "Yes."
and so people will not say, 'Look! Here it is,' nor, 'There it is,' for the kingdom of God is within you."
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would have been fighting to keep me from being turned over to the Jews. But as a matter of fact, my kingdom does not come from such a source." Then Pilate said to Him, "So you are a king then?" Jesus answered, "Certainly I am a king. For this very purpose I was born, for this very purpose I have come into the world, to testify for truth. Everybody who is a friend of truth listens to my voice."
So from this moment on, I do not estimate anybody by the standard of outward appearances. Although I once did estimate Christ by this standard, I do not do so any longer. For if anybody is in union with Christ, he is the work of a new creation; the old condition has passed away, a new condition has come.
For though I do still live the life of a physical human creature, I am not waging this war in accordance with physical human standards, for the weapons used in my warfare are not mere human ones, but through my God are mighty for demolishing fortresses. For I am demolishing arguments and every barrier that is raised against the genuine knowledge of God, taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,
War » Illustrative of » The contest of saints with the enemies of their salvation
This is the instruction which I entrust to you, my son Timothy, which is in accordance with the prophetic utterances formerly made about you, that you may, aided by them, continue to fight the good fight,
For our contest is not with human foes alone, but with the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark world; that is, with the spirit-forces of evil challenging us in the heavenly contest.
Verse Concepts
but I see another power operating in my lower nature in conflict with the power operated by my reason, which makes me a prisoner to the power of sin which is operating in my lower nature.
For though I do still live the life of a physical human creature, I am not waging this war in accordance with physical human standards,
War » Figurative » Warfare of saints » Is not after the flesh
For though I do still live the life of a physical human creature, I am not waging this war in accordance with physical human standards,
War/weapons » The weapons of a spiritual war
From now on you must grow stronger through union with the Lord and through His mighty power. You must put on God's full armor, so as to be able to stand up against the devil's stratagems. For our contest is not with human foes alone, but with the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark world; that is, with the spirit-forces of evil challenging us in the heavenly contest. read more.
So you must take on God's full armor, so as to be able to take a stand in the day when evil attacks you, and, after having completely finished the contest, to hold your own. Hold your position, then, with your waist encircled with the belt of truth, put on right-doing as a coat of mail, and put on your feet the preparation the good news of peace supplies. Besides all these, take on the shield which faith provides, for with it you will be able to put out all the fire-tipped arrows shot by the evil one, take the helmet salvation provides, and take the sword the Spirit wields, which is the word of God.
So you must take on God's full armor, so as to be able to take a stand in the day when evil attacks you, and, after having completely finished the contest, to hold your own. Hold your position, then, with your waist encircled with the belt of truth, put on right-doing as a coat of mail, and put on your feet the preparation the good news of peace supplies. Besides all these, take on the shield which faith provides, for with it you will be able to put out all the fire-tipped arrows shot by the evil one, take the helmet salvation provides, and take the sword the Spirit wields, which is the word of God.
For though I do still live the life of a physical human creature, I am not waging this war in accordance with physical human standards, for the weapons used in my warfare are not mere human ones, but through my God are mighty for demolishing fortresses. For I am demolishing arguments and every barrier that is raised against the genuine knowledge of God, taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, read more.
and am prepared to punish any disobedience, when your obedience is made complete.
and am prepared to punish any disobedience, when your obedience is made complete.
War/weapons » What believers do not war after
Now I appeal to you in person, by the gentleness and fairness of Christ, I, Paul, who am so "condescending when face to face with you, but so courageous toward you when far away!" I beg you not to make me too courageous in that confidence in which I think to take a daring stand against some people who try to think that I am acting from the lowest human motives. For though I do still live the life of a physical human creature, I am not waging this war in accordance with physical human standards,
Warfare of saints » Is not after the flesh
For though I do still live the life of a physical human creature, I am not waging this war in accordance with physical human standards,