Thematic Bible: Encouraged

In brotherly love be affectionate to one another, in personal honors put one another to the fore, Verse Concepts

so that the genuineness of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even after it is shown by the test of fire to be genuine, may result in your praise and glory and honor at the unveiling of Jesus Christ. Verse Concepts

So as God's own chosen people, consecrated and dearly loved, you must once for all clothe yourselves with tenderheartedness, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience; you must keep on Verse Concepts

Love is so patient and so kind; love never boils with jealousy; it never boasts, is never puffed with pride; Verse Concepts

You must practice being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you. Verse Concepts

who are always guarded by the power of God through faith, in order that you may receive that final salvation which will be ready to be uncovered for you at the last time. In such a hope keep on rejoicing, although for a little while you must be sorrow-stricken with various trials,

And over all these qualities put on love, which is the tie of perfection that binds us together. Verse Concepts

But whenever you, follower of mine, fast, perfume your head and wash your face, Verse Concepts

let us continue to draw near to God with sincere hearts and perfect faith; with our hearts cleansed from the sense of sin, and our bodies bathed in clean water; Verse Concepts

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If we confess our sins, He is to be depended on, since He is just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from every wrong. Verse Concepts

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You slave-owners, too, must maintain the same attitude toward your slaves, and stop threatening them, for you know that their real Lord and yours is in heaven, and that He never shows partiality. Verse Concepts

forbearing one another and freely forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; just as the Lord has freely forgiven you, so must you also do. Verse Concepts

It bears up under anything; it exercises faith in everything; it keeps up hope in everything; it gives us power to endure in anything. Verse Concepts

with perfect humility and gentleness, with patience, lovingly bearing with one another, Verse Concepts

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you must keep yourselves in the love of God and continue to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to bring you to eternal life. Verse Concepts

And He answered him, "'You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, and your whole mind.' Verse Concepts

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May the Lord guide you into a realization of God's love for you and into a patient endurance like Christ's. Verse Concepts

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But you must practice loving your enemies, doing good to them, and lending to them, despairing of nothing; so that your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Verse Concepts

Take care that none of you ever pays back evil for evil, but always keep looking for ways to show kindness to one another and everybody. Verse Concepts

Do the opposite. If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for if you act in this way, you will heap burning coals upon his head! Verse Concepts

But I tell you, practice loving your enemies and praying for your persecutors, Verse Concepts

But I say to you who listen now to me, practice loving your enemies, practice doing good to those who hate you, Verse Concepts

May the Lord make you increase and overflow in love for one another and for all men, as my love for you does, Verse Concepts

as you are practicing it toward all the brothers all over Macedonia. We beg you, brothers, to continue to live better and better; Verse Concepts

I have much to say to you about Him, but it is difficult to make it clear to you, since you have become so dull in your spiritual senses. For although you ought to be teachers of others because you have been Christians so long, you actually need someone to teach you over and over again the very elements of the truths that God has given us, and you have gotten into such a state that you are in constant need of milk instead of solid food. For everyone who uses milk alone is inexperienced in the message of right-doing; he is only an infant. read more.
But solid food belongs to full-grown men who on account of constant use have their faculties trained to distinguish good and evil.

So then let us once for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ and continue progressing toward maturity; let us stop relaying a foundation of repentance from works that mean only death, and of faith in God, of teaching about ceremonial washings and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and final judgment. And we will progress, if God permits. read more.
For it is impossible for those who have once for all been enlightened and have experienced the gift from heaven, who have been made sharers of the Holy Spirit and have experienced how good God's message is and the mighty powers of the age to come, and then have fallen by the wayside -- it is impossible, I say, to keep on restoring them to their first repentance, since they continue to crucify the Son of God to their detriment and hold Him up to contempt. For a piece of ground that drinks in the rains so frequently falling on it, and continues yielding vegetation useful to those for whose sakes it is cultivated, receives from God His blessings. But if it continues to yield thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and in danger of being cursed, and its final fate is burning. But in your case, my dearly loved friends, even though we speak in such a tone, we are sure of better things, yea, things that point to salvation. For God is not so unjust as to forget the work you have done and the love you have shown His name in the service you have rendered for your fellow-Christians, and still are doing. And we desire each one of you to continue to show the same earnestness to the very end, that you may enjoy your hope to the fullest, so that you may not grow careless, but may follow the example of those who through their faith and patient endurance are now possessors of the blessings promised. For when God made His promise to Abraham, He took an oath by Himself, since He had no one greater by whom He could take it, saying: "I will certainly bless you over and over again, I will extensively increase your numbers." And so by patiently waiting he obtained what God had promised him. For it is a custom among men to take oath by something greater than themselves, and an oath taken for confirmation settles any dispute among them.

But, on the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head. Verse Concepts

so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord to His full satisfaction, by perennially bearing fruit in every good enterprise and by a steady growth in fuller knowledge of God; Verse Concepts

He who always supplies the sower with seed and the eater with bread will supply you with seed and multiply it and enlarge the harvest which your deeds of charity yield. Verse Concepts

Now for this very reason you must do your level best to supplement your faith with moral character, moral character with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with patient endurance, patient endurance with piety,

but instead, you must continue to grow in the spiritual strength and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory now and forever! Verse Concepts

and like new-born babies thirst for pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to final salvation, Verse Concepts

So then let us once for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ and continue progressing toward maturity; let us stop relaying a foundation of repentance from works that mean only death, and of faith in God, Verse Concepts

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You younger men, on your part, must be submissive to the elders. And you must all put on the servant's apron of humility to one another, because God opposes the haughty but bestows His unmerited favor on the humble. Verse Concepts

Keep on fostering the same disposition that Christ Jesus had. Verse Concepts

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But when you are invited anywhere, go and take the lowest place, so that when your host comes in, he may say to you, 'My friend, come up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow-guests. Verse Concepts

Now through the unmerited favor God has shown me I would say to every one of you not to estimate himself above his real value, but to make a sober rating of himself, in accordance with the degree of faith which God has apportioned to him. Verse Concepts

Very well, but it was for lack of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you now stand where you are. Stop your haughty thinking, rather continue to be reverent, Verse Concepts

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you high. Verse Concepts

But you are not to do so. On the contrary, the greatest among you must be like the youngest and the leader as the servant. Verse Concepts

Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Verse Concepts

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and a slave of the Lord must not quarrel but must be gentle to everybody; he must be a skillful teacher, and not resentful under injuries. Verse Concepts

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Continue to give these orders and to teach these truths. Verse Concepts

Masters, you must practice doing the right and square things by your slaves, for you know that you have a Master in heaven. Verse Concepts

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Pay all of them what is due them -- tribute to the officer to receive it, taxes to the officer to receive them, respect to the man entitled to it, and honor to the man entitled to it. Verse Concepts

In brotherly love be affectionate to one another, in personal honors put one another to the fore, Verse Concepts

so that the genuineness of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even after it is shown by the test of fire to be genuine, may result in your praise and glory and honor at the unveiling of Jesus Christ. Verse Concepts

So as God's own chosen people, consecrated and dearly loved, you must once for all clothe yourselves with tenderheartedness, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience; you must keep on Verse Concepts

Love is so patient and so kind; love never boils with jealousy; it never boasts, is never puffed with pride; Verse Concepts

You must practice being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you. Verse Concepts

who are always guarded by the power of God through faith, in order that you may receive that final salvation which will be ready to be uncovered for you at the last time. In such a hope keep on rejoicing, although for a little while you must be sorrow-stricken with various trials,

Then He said to them, "You must go all over the world and preach the good news to all the creation. Verse Concepts

What I speak to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ears, you must proclaim from housetops. Verse Concepts

And as you go continue to preach, 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Verse Concepts

preach the message, stay at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people with perfect patience as a teacher. Verse Concepts

Then He answered him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but you go on and continue to spread the good news of the kingdom of God." Verse Concepts

and then He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to cure the sick. Verse Concepts

"Go and take your stand in the temple square and continue to tell the people the message of this new life." Verse Concepts

Love is so patient and so kind; love never boils with jealousy; it never boasts, is never puffed with pride; Verse Concepts

then you will be perfectly empowered by His glorious might for every sort of joyous endurance and forbearance, Verse Concepts

preach the message, stay at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people with perfect patience as a teacher. Verse Concepts

But the product of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Verse Concepts

through my personal purity, my knowledge, my patience, my kindness; through the Holy Spirit, my genuine love, Verse Concepts

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But you must practice loving your enemies, doing good to them, and lending to them, despairing of nothing; so that your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Verse Concepts

Take care that none of you ever pays back evil for evil, but always keep looking for ways to show kindness to one another and everybody. Verse Concepts

Do the opposite. If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for if you act in this way, you will heap burning coals upon his head! Verse Concepts

But I tell you, practice loving your enemies and praying for your persecutors, Verse Concepts

But I say to you who listen now to me, practice loving your enemies, practice doing good to those who hate you, Verse Concepts

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Everybody must obey the civil authorities that are over him, for no authority exists except by God's permission; the existing authorities have been established by Him, Verse Concepts

Constantly remind people to submit to and obey the rulers who have authority over them, so as to be ready for any good enterprise, Verse Concepts

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Do the opposite. If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink, for if you act in this way, you will heap burning coals upon his head! Stop being conquered by evil, but keep on conquering evil with good.

Then He said to them, "You must go all over the world and preach the good news to all the creation. Verse Concepts

What I speak to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ears, you must proclaim from housetops. Verse Concepts

And as you go continue to preach, 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Verse Concepts

preach the message, stay at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people with perfect patience as a teacher. Verse Concepts

Then He answered him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but you go on and continue to spread the good news of the kingdom of God." Verse Concepts

and then He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to cure the sick. Verse Concepts

"Go and take your stand in the temple square and continue to tell the people the message of this new life." Verse Concepts

We beg you, brothers, continue to warn the shirkers, to cheer the faint-hearted, to hold up the weak, and to be patient with everybody. Verse Concepts

By your endurance you will win your souls. Verse Concepts

ever happy in hope, always patient in suffering, ever persistent in prayer, Verse Concepts

but you must let your endurance come to its perfect product, so that you may be fully developed and perfectly equipped, without any defects. Verse Concepts

So be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer keeps on waiting and waiting for the precious crop from his land; how he keeps up his patience over it until he gets the early and late rains, Verse Concepts

and a slave of the Lord must not quarrel but must be gentle to everybody; he must be a skillful teacher, and not resentful under injuries. Verse Concepts

knowledge with self-control, self-control with patient endurance, patient endurance with piety, Verse Concepts

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the older men to be temperate, serious, and sensible, healthy in faith, in love, and in steadfastness; Verse Concepts

Indeed, to carry out the will of God and to receive the blessing He has promised, you need endurance, for: Verse Concepts

Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a throng of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in highest heaven! And peace on earth to men who please him."

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They were singing a new song before the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders, and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth. Verse Concepts

saying: "We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and were, because you have assumed your great power and begun to reign. Verse Concepts

And the four living creatures have each of them six wings, and they are dotted with eyes all around and beneath the wings. And day and night they never cease saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and is to come." Verse Concepts

Then I looked and heard the voices of many angels surrounding the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. Their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying in a loud voice: "The Lamb that was slaughtered deserves to receive power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing."

Then all the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!"

And there came a voice from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you slaves of His who fear Him, great and small." Verse Concepts

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So then, through Christ, let us always offer God the sacrifice of praise; that is, the speech of lips that glorify the name of God. Verse Concepts

But you are the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the people to be His very own, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Verse Concepts

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So let us continue coming with courage to the throne of God's unmerited favor to obtain His mercy and to find His spiritual strength to help us when we need it. Verse Concepts

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Get your hands clean, you sinners. Get your hearts purified, you double-minded. Verse Concepts

So, since we have such promises as these, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles our bodies and spirits, and in reverence to God carry on our consecration to completeness. Verse Concepts

And now, why are you waiting? Get up and be baptized and wash your sins away by calling on His name.' Verse Concepts

So if a man will cleanse himself from these things, he will be an instrument for honorable uses, consecrated, useful for the Master, and ready for any good service. Verse Concepts

And everyone who has this hope in him tries to make himself as pure as He is. Verse Concepts

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You must clean out the old yeast, that you may be a fresh lump, as you are to be free from the old yeast. For our Passover Lamb, Christ, has already been sacrificed. Verse Concepts

but they must be of an internal nature, the character concealed in the heart, in the imperishable quality of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God. Verse Concepts

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also keep up your ambition to live quietly, to practice attending to your own business and to work with your own hands, as we directed you, Verse Concepts

for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead peaceful, quiet lives in perfect piety and seriousness. Verse Concepts

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Now on the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ we charge and exhort such persons to do their own work with quiet and eat their own bread. Verse Concepts

Then He said to them, "You must go all over the world and preach the good news to all the creation. Verse Concepts

What I speak to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ears, you must proclaim from housetops. Verse Concepts

And as you go continue to preach, 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Verse Concepts

preach the message, stay at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people with perfect patience as a teacher. Verse Concepts

Then He answered him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but you go on and continue to spread the good news of the kingdom of God." Verse Concepts

and then He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to cure the sick. Verse Concepts

"Go and take your stand in the temple square and continue to tell the people the message of this new life." Verse Concepts

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Hold your position, then, with your waist encircled with the belt of truth, put on right-doing as a coat of mail, Verse Concepts

But you, as a man of God, must be fleeing always from these things; you must constantly strive for uprightness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Verse Concepts

But as he continued to talk about uprightness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became alarmed, and said, "For the present you may go, but when I find a good opportunity, I will send for you." Verse Concepts

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For I tell you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven at all. Verse Concepts

Sober up, as is right, and stop sinning, for some of you -- to your shame I say so -- are without any true knowledge of God. Verse Concepts

men that are abounding in the fruits of right-doing with the help of Jesus Christ, to the honor and praise of God. Verse Concepts

For it is God's will that you should keep pure in person, that you should practice abstinence from sexual immorality, Verse Concepts

May God Himself, who gave you peace, consecrate your whole being. May you be safely kept, spirit, soul, and body, so as to be blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes back. Verse Concepts

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You yourselves must continue testing yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. You must continue standing the test. Do you not know by a growing experience that Jesus Christ is in you? -- provided you stand the test. Verse Concepts