Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them. Verse ConceptsForeign ThingsBlasphemy


In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them. Verse ConceptsForeign ThingsBlasphemy


“But I said, ‘Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in You imprisoned and beaten. Verse ConceptsFloggingBeating Believers

For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. Verse ConceptsCongregationFilthinessGoldOrnamentsRingsRagsChurch GatheringsFine ClothesFoul ClothesGold OrnamentsPoor PeopleThe Rich Lording ItgaysBeing Gay

Paul looked intently at the Sanhedrin and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience until this day." But the high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next to him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are sitting there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law are you ordering me to be struck?" read more.
And those standing nearby said, "Do you dare revile God's high priest?" "I did not know, brothers," Paul said, "that it was the high priest. For it is written, You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people. " When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees! I am being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!"

When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied: "Because I know you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I am glad to offer my defense in what concerns me. You are able to determine that it is no more than 12 days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem. And they didn't find me disputing with anyone or causing a disturbance among the crowd, either in the temple complex or in the synagogues, or anywhere in the city. read more.
Neither can they provide evidence to you of what they now bring against me. But I confess this to you: that according to the Way, which they call a sect, so I worship my fathers' God, believing all the things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets. And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous. I always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and men. After many years, I came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my nation, and while I was doing this, some Jews from the province of Asia found me ritually purified in the temple, without a crowd and without any uproar. It is they who ought to be here before you to bring charges, if they have anything against me. Either let these men here state what wrongdoing they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, or about this one statement I cried out while standing among them, 'Today I am being judged before you concerning the resurrection of the dead.' "

Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: "I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that today I am going to make a defense before you about everything I am accused of by the Jews, especially since you are an expert in all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. read more.
"All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem. They had previously known me for quite some time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, [the promise] our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve Him night and day. Because of this hope I am being accused by the Jews, O king! Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. This I actually did in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. Being greatly enraged at them, I even pursued them to foreign cities. "Under these circumstances I was traveling to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. At midday, while on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' "But I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' "And the Lord replied: 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of things you have seen, and of things in which I will appear to you. I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. Since I have obtained help that comes from God, to this day I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses said would take place- that the Messiah must suffer, and that as the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles."

regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. Verse ConceptseagernessRestored In Jesus ChristPerfection, HumanZealFulfilling The LawPlea Of InnocenceThe Church UniversalPersecutionzealots

In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them. Verse ConceptsForeign ThingsBlasphemy

Both hands are good at accomplishing evil:
the official and the judge demand a bribe;
when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,
they plot it together.
Verse ConceptsGiftsAliancesAmbition, negative aspects ofWicked RulersJudgesPower, HumanReward, HumanSkillRulers, WickedCharacter Of WickedGuileAmbidextrousTwo Of Body PartsContinuing In SinLording It

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it. Verse ConceptsPaul, Life OfZeal, Without KnowledgeDestruction Of The ChurchThe Church UniversalChurch Of GodPersecutionchristianitypasttrying

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are! Verse ConceptsExploitationsJudaismMission, Of IsraelPharisees, Beliefs OfPassing OverSonsTravelHypocrites, Description OfGehennaProselytesSea TravelOnly One PersonDouble PenaltyCrossing To The Other SideHypocrisy

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? Verse ConceptsPaul, Apostle To GentilesOne's DeedsWorking For The Lord


I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry- one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. Since it was out of ignorance that I had acted in unbelief, I received mercy,

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it. Verse ConceptsPaul, Life OfZeal, Without KnowledgeDestruction Of The ChurchThe Church UniversalChurch Of GodPersecutionchristianitypasttrying

As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" "Who are You, Lord?" he said. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," He replied. read more.
"But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. He was unable to see for three days, and did not eat or drink. Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Here I am, Lord!" he said. "Get up and go to the street called Straight," the Lord said to him, "to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he may regain his sight." "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before Gentiles, kings, and the sons of Israel. I will certainly show him how much he must suffer for My name!" So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some days. Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: "He is the Son of God." But all who heard him were astounded and said, "Isn't this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name, and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?" But Saul grew more capable, and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this One is the Messiah.

I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women in jail, as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. Having received letters from them to the brothers, I was traveling to Damascus to bring those who were prisoners there to be punished in Jerusalem. "As I was traveling and near Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. read more.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' "I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' "He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting!' Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me. "Then I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' "And the Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do.' "Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good reputation with all the Jews residing there, came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, regain your sight.' And in that very hour I looked up and saw him. Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of His voice. For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard. And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.' "After I came back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple complex, I went into a visionary state and saw Him telling me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me!' "But I said, 'Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in You imprisoned and beaten.

In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. This I actually did in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. Being greatly enraged at them, I even pursued them to foreign cities. read more.
"Under these circumstances I was traveling to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. At midday, while on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' "But I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' "And the Lord replied: 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

But the Jews incited the prominent women, who worshiped God, and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district. Verse ConceptsDevout MenIntoleranceInciting To EvilUnbelief, As Response To GodPersecution, OriginPersecution Of The Apostle Paul

In fact, I myself supposed it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. This I actually did in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. Being greatly enraged at them, I even pursued them to foreign cities.

This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town. Verse ConceptsFloggingMediatorSuffering, Of BelieversTownCharacter AssassinationBeating BelieversCrucifiedKilling Will HappenOthers CrucifiedWise Men In The Church

In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them. Verse ConceptsForeign ThingsBlasphemy


“But I said, ‘Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in You imprisoned and beaten. Verse ConceptsFloggingBeating Believers

Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say. Verse ConceptsJesus Statements About The SpiritRulersSynagogueHoly Spirit, Personhood OfMagistratesUnrestDo Not Be AnxiousNot WorryingAnxiety And FearFear And WorryWorryingTrusting God And Not Worryinganswersworriesanxious

In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them. Verse ConceptsForeign ThingsBlasphemy



His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him as Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. Verse ConceptsPersecution, Forms OfSynagogueFear, Of PersecutionFear Of ManDisfellowshipExcommunicationFear Of EnemiesBelieving In Christ

regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. Verse ConceptseagernessRestored In Jesus ChristPerfection, HumanZealFulfilling The LawPlea Of InnocenceThe Church UniversalPersecutionzealots

In all the synagogues I often tried to make them blaspheme by punishing them. I even pursued them to foreign cities since I was greatly enraged at them. Verse ConceptsForeign ThingsBlasphemy

Both hands are good at accomplishing evil:
the official and the judge demand a bribe;
when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,
they plot it together.
Verse ConceptsGiftsAliancesAmbition, negative aspects ofWicked RulersJudgesPower, HumanReward, HumanSkillRulers, WickedCharacter Of WickedGuileAmbidextrousTwo Of Body PartsContinuing In SinLording It

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I persecuted God’s church to an extreme degree and tried to destroy it. Verse ConceptsPaul, Life OfZeal, Without KnowledgeDestruction Of The ChurchThe Church UniversalChurch Of GodPersecutionchristianitypasttrying

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are! Verse ConceptsExploitationsJudaismMission, Of IsraelPharisees, Beliefs OfPassing OverSonsTravelHypocrites, Description OfGehennaProselytesSea TravelOnly One PersonDouble PenaltyCrossing To The Other SideHypocrisy