Thematic Bible: Corruption in


Thematic Bible



Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests. He asked them: What are you willing to give me to deliver him to you? They paid him thirty pieces of silver. He continued to seek opportunity to turn him over to them.

Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might betray Jesus to them. They were glad to hear it and promised to give him money. He looked for ways how he might conveniently deliver Jesus to them.

Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot. He was one of the twelve. He went away to discuss with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver Jesus to them. They were glad, and pledged to give him money. read more.
He consented and looked for a way to deliver him to them in the absence of the crowd.

It will be like people, like the priests. I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them for their actions. Verse ConceptsPriests, Institution In Ot TimesLike People In CharacterGod Will RequitePunishment of the The WickedRewards Of Ritual

I said: Please listen, you heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not your responsibility to know justice? You hate good and love evil! You rip off their skin and their flesh from off their bones! You eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them! You break their bones, and chop them in pieces similar to the contents of a pot or a caldron. read more.
They will cry to Jehovah but he will not answer them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time because they have done evil things.

Please hear this you heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel. You who abhor justice, and pervert honesty! Verse ConceptsTwistingMisrepresentationHating Good


Listen to another illustration. A master of a house made a vineyard, and put a wall around it. He made a wine press and built a tower. Then he rented it to workers and traveled to another country. When the time for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the workmen, to get the fruit. The workmen attacked his servants, striking one with a stone and killing the other. read more.
He sent other servants more in number than the first. They did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'Certainly they will respect my son.' When the workmen saw the son, they said, 'Let us put him to death and take his heritage, for someday he will own this property.' They took him out of the vineyard and killed him. When the lord of the vineyard returns, what will he do to the workmen? They all said: He will put those cruel men to death. Then he will find other workmen who are worthy and who will give him fruit when it is ready.

When the chief priests and Pharisees heard his illustrations they realized he was talking about them. Verse ConceptsJesus Using ParablesUnderstanding God's Wordpharisees

The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, he said. Obey everything they teach you, but do not follow their example. They say one thing and do something else. They chain heavy burdens on your shoulders. Yet they are unwilling to lift even a finger to carry these same burdens. read more.
They do everything to be seen by men. For example: they enlarge their scripture cases for their foreheads and lengthen the tassels on their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets and the prominent seats in the synagogues. They require recognition in public places and insist on being called Rabbi by men.

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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You close the kingdom of heaven to people. You do not invite others to enter nor do you enter. [Verse not found in oldest manuscripts.] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel on both sea and land to make one convert. When this happens, you make him twice as deserving of destruction in the trash fires of the valley of Hinnom (Greek: Gehenna). read more.
Woe to you, you blind guides! You say, 'When you swear by the temple, it is nothing.' Then you say, 'When you swear by the gold of the temple, you are obligated.' You fools! You blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? When you swear by an altar, you owe nothing. When you swear by the gift left on the altar, you are obligated. You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? He who swears by the altar, swears by it and everything on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him that dwells within it. Thus, he who swears by heaven also swears by the throne of God and him who sits on it. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith. You should do both and leave nothing undone. You blind guides! You strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, yet the inside is full of extortion and excess. You are blind. Clean the inside of the cup and platter first. Then clean the outside. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that appear beautiful on the outside. They are full of dead men's bones and uncleanness on the inside. You appear righteous to men. However, inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous. You claim that you would not have been involved with your fathers when they spilled the blood of the prophets. You witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up the (guilt) measure of your fathers. You serpents! You offspring of vipers! How will you escape from being destroyed in the ever-burning fires of the Valley of Hinnom? (Greek: Gehenna, the trash fires in the valley just outside of Jerusalem)

The chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. They failed, even though a number of false witnesses came. Later two witnesses came. They said: This man said, 'I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.' read more.
The high priest stood up and said to him: Have you no answer? What is it these say against you? Jesus said nothing. The high priest said to him: I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him: You said it yourself. And I say to you, after this you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest ripped his robes apart and said: He has said evil against God! Why do we need more witnesses? You have heard his words of blasphemy! What is your opinion? The crowd answered: Put him to death! They spat in his face and hit him, saying: Prophesy to us, you Christ; tell us who hit you!

He taught them with illustrations: A man had a vineyard planted. He built a wall around it. He prepared a place for crushing out the wine and put up a tower. Then he rented it out to field workers, and went into another country. During the season he sent a servant to the field workers that he might receive the fruits of the vineyard. They beat him and sent him away empty. read more.
Again he sent another servant and they treated him shamefully and wounded him in the head. He sent another and they killed him. He sent many others and some were beaten and some were killed. Last of all he sent his son saying: 'They will respect my son.' But those field workers said among themselves: This is the heir let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours. They captured him and killed him. Then they cast his body out of the vineyard. What will the lord of the vineyard do? He will destroy the field workers and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected was made the chief corner stone.' (Psalm 118:22, 23) This was from Jehovah and it is marvelous in our eyes? (Psalm 118:23) They tried to capture him but feared the crowd. They perceived that he spoke the illustration against them. So they left him and went away.

He hoped that Paul would give him money to free him. He sent for him frequently and conversed with him. Verse ConceptsGovernorsHope, Nature OfLove, Abuse OfMoney, Uses OfCovetousness, Example OfConversationFinances

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. Verse ConceptsCoinageAttitudes Of ReverenceGovernorsGodly Fear, Examples OfHeavy BurdensIndividuals Fearing GodTax To Be Paid

Then the commissioners and the governors sought to find a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. They could find no charge, nor error, nor fault, for he was faithful. These men said: We shall not find any charge against Daniel, unless we find it against him in the Law of his God. Then these commissioners and governors assembled before the king, and said: King Darius, may you live for a very long time. read more.
All the governors of the kingdom, the deputies and the governors, the counselors consulted together to establish a royal statute. They made a strong decree, that whoever prays to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree by signing the document. That it will not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered. King Darius signed the document for the decree. Daniel knew that the decree was signed. He went into his house. His windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, like he did before. These men assembled together. They found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. They approached the king about his decree: Did you sign a decree stating that every man that shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions? The king answered: The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered. Then they said: Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, does not show you respect, O king, nor the decree that you signed. He offers his prayer three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased with himself. He was determined that Daniel not be delivered to him; and he labored all day to rescue him. Then these men assembled before the king and said: Know, O king that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree or statute that the king establishes may be changed. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and threw him into the den of lions. The king spoke to Daniel: Your God whom you serve will deliver you. A stone was placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.


I said: Please listen, you heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not your responsibility to know justice? You hate good and love evil! You rip off their skin and their flesh from off their bones! You eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them! You break their bones, and chop them in pieces similar to the contents of a pot or a caldron. read more.
They will cry to Jehovah but he will not answer them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time because they have done evil things.

Jezebel his wife came to him and asked: Why is your spirit so bitter that you have no desire for food? He replied: I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite. I said to him: 'Let me have your garden for money, or, if it pleases you, I will give you another garden for it.' 'But he said: I will not give you my garden.' Then his wife Jezebel said: Are you now the ruler of Israel? Get up, eat and be happy. I will give you the garden of Naboth the Jezreelite. read more.
So she sent a letter in Ahab's name, stamped with his stamp, to the elders and nobles who were in authority with Naboth. The letter she wrote is as follows: Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people. Get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death. So the elders and nobles in authority in his town did as Jezebel said in the letter she sent them. They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people. The two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people. They said: Naboth has been cursing God and the king. Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death.

Take away the wicked before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Verse Conceptsethics, socialCivic RighteousnessAuthorityRemoving People From Your Lifewickedness

Please hear this you heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel. You who abhor justice, and pervert honesty! They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with immorality. The leaders judge for a bribe, and the priests teach for wages! The prophets predict for money yet they rely on Jehovah when they say: Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? No evil will come upon us.

Pilate saw that he could do nothing. The people were ready to cause much trouble. He took water and washed his hands in front of the people. He said: The blood of this man is not on my hands. You are responsible. Verse ConceptsGesturesTumultCrowdsInnocence, Examples OfResponsibility, Examples OfSymbolsWashingExcitementDisorder Among PeopleResponsibility For Blood ShedJesus Christ, SinlessnessPlea Of Innocence

As a result of this Pilate sought to release him. The Jews cried out: If you release this man you are not Caesar's friend. Every one that makes himself a king speaks against Caesar. When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment-seat. They were at a place called The Stone Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews: Behold, your King! read more.
They cried out: Away with him, away with him, impale him! Pilate asked: Should I impale your King? The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar. Then he delivered him to them to be impaled.

He hoped that Paul would give him money to free him. He sent for him frequently and conversed with him. Verse ConceptsGovernorsHope, Nature OfLove, Abuse OfMoney, Uses OfCovetousness, Example OfConversationFinances

Then the commissioners and the governors sought to find a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. They could find no charge, nor error, nor fault, for he was faithful. These men said: We shall not find any charge against Daniel, unless we find it against him in the Law of his God. Then these commissioners and governors assembled before the king, and said: King Darius, may you live for a very long time. read more.
All the governors of the kingdom, the deputies and the governors, the counselors consulted together to establish a royal statute. They made a strong decree, that whoever prays to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree by signing the document. That it will not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered. King Darius signed the document for the decree. Daniel knew that the decree was signed. He went into his house. His windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, like he did before. These men assembled together. They found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. They approached the king about his decree: Did you sign a decree stating that every man that shall make petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions? The king answered: The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered. Then they said: Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, does not show you respect, O king, nor the decree that you signed. He offers his prayer three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased with himself. He was determined that Daniel not be delivered to him; and he labored all day to rescue him. Then these men assembled before the king and said: Know, O king that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree or statute that the king establishes may be changed.

The wicked walk about when immorality increases among the sons of men. Verse ConceptsPolitics