Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



for as many of you as have been immersed into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bondman nor free man, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And John answered and said: Master, we saw a certain one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us. And Jesus said to him: Forbid him not; for whoever is not against us, is for us.

And John answered him and said: Teacher, we saw one casting out demons in thy name, and he does not follow us: and we forbade him, because he does not follow us. But Jesus said: Forbid him not; for there is no one that will do a mighty deed in my name, and be able readily to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us, is for us. read more.
For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink on this account, because you are Christ s, verily I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.

If, then, God gave them the like gift that he gave to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God? And when they heard these things, they ceased to contend; and they glorified God, saying: Then, indeed, has God given to the Gentiles also repentance in order to life.

And certain men came down from Judea, and taught the brethren, saying: Unless you be circumcised, according to the custom of Moses, you can not be saved. Therefore, after Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from among them, should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. Being, therefore, con ducted on their journey by the church, they passed through Phenicia and Samaria, making known the conversion of the Gentiles; and they gave great joy to all the brethren. read more.
When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and the apostles and elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, arose, saying, that it was necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together to deliberate about this matter. And after there had been much disputing, Peter arose, and said to them: Brethren, you know that, at the beginning, God made choice among us, that, by my mouth, the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do you put God to the proof, by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we ourselves, were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved, even as they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then all the multitude kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they made known what signs and wonders God had done by them among the Gentiles. And after they were silent, James answered and said: Brethren, hear me; Simeon has declared how God, at the first, did visit the Gentiles, in order to take out from among them a people for his name. And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and build again the tabernacle of David which has fallen down; and I will build again its ruins, and I will set it up; that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name has been called, says the Lord, who does all these things. Known to God from eternity are all bis works. For these reasons, my judgment is, that we give no trouble to those who, from among the Gentiles, have turned to God; but that we write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from lewdness, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For, from ancient times, Moses has, in every city, those who preach him, being read in the synagogue every sabbath-day. Then it pleased the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, chosen men from among themselves; Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren; and they wrote by their hands as follows: The apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: Inasmuch as we have heard that certain persons went out from us and troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, That you must be circumcised, and keep the law, to whom we gave no commandment, it has seemed good to us, having come together with one mind, to send chosen men to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have en dangered their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things in word. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from lewdness; from which if you keep yourselves carefully, you will do well. Farewell. So when these men were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and having assembled the multitude, they delivered this letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation which it gave.

PAUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he formerly promised through his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the posterity of David according to the flesh, read more.
but declared to be the Son of God with power, according to his holy spiritual nature, by his resurrection from the dead, through whom we have received grace and apostleship, in order to the obedience of faith among all nations, for the honor of his name, among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ, to all that are in Rome, be loved of God, called saints: Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise. So that, as far as I am able, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also, who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel: for it is the power of God in order to salvation, to every one that believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Wherefore, by works of law, no flesh shall be justified in his sight; for by law is the knowledge of sin. But now, God's plan of justifying men without law is revealed, being attested by the law and the prophets; I repeat it, God's plan of justifying men through faith in Jesus Christ, which is for all, and on all that believe; for there is no difference; read more.
for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, yet may be justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God has set forth as a propitiatory sacrifice, through faith in his blood, in order to manifest his righteousness, in passing by the sins that were formerly committed through the forbearance of God; in order to manifest his righteousness at the present time, that he might be just, while he justifies him who believes in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No; but by the law of faith. For we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without deeds of law. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gen tiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: since there is one God, who will justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through the faith. Do we, then, make law void through the faith? It can not be. On the other hand, we establish law.

Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have had access, by faith, into this grace in which we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

For he is our peace, who has made both parties one, and broken down the partition wall that separated us, having abolished, in his flesh, the cause of enmity, the law of commandments in ordinances, that he might, by himself, form the two into one new man, thus making peace; and that he might reconcile both, in one body, to God, through the cross, having by it put to death the cause of enmity; read more.
and having come, he preached peace to you who were far off, and to those who were near:

in which new creation there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all and in all. Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, a merciful disposition, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering: bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any one have a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so also do you: read more.
and over all these put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God, to which you are called in one body, rule in your hearts, and be thankful.




And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as he said, John immersed in water, but you shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit. If, then, God gave them the like gift that he gave to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God?


While Peter was speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all that heard the word.

And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us;

If, then, God gave them the like gift that he gave to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God?







If, then, God gave them the like gift that he gave to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God?


And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, saying: You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them. read more.
And Peter began, and laid the matter before them in order, saying: I was in the city of Joppa, praying; and, while in a trance, I saw a vision, some vessel like a great sheet, descending, let down from heaven by the four corners; and it came even to me. When I had looked attentively into it, I observed and saw four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But I said, By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth. But the voice answered me a second time from heaven, What God has cleansed, you must not call common. This was done the third time, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea, immediately came to the house where I was. And the Spirit commanded me to go with them without hesitation. And these six brethren accompanied me. And we entered the man's house: and he told us how he had seen an angel in his house, standing and saying to him, Send to Joppa and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he will tell you words by which you and all your house shall be saved. And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as he said, John immersed in water, but you shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit. If, then, God gave them the like gift that he gave to us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God? And when they heard these things, they ceased to contend; and they glorified God, saying: Then, indeed, has God given to the Gentiles also repentance in order to life.

And after there had been much disputing, Peter arose, and said to them: Brethren, you know that, at the beginning, God made choice among us, that, by my mouth, the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and believe. And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. read more.
Now, therefore, why do you put God to the proof, by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we ourselves, were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved, even as they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.