Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.


Those who give freely gain even more; others hold back what they owe, becoming even poorer. A generous person will prosper, and anyone who gives water will receive a flood in return. People will curse whoever withholds grain, but blessing will come to whoever is selling.



"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, read more.
if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.


From: Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus, the Messiah. To: Those who have received faith that is as valuable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus the Messiah. May grace and peace be yours in abundance through full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord! His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. read more.
Through these he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, seeing that you have escaped the corruption that is in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge, your knowledge with self-control, your self-control with endurance, your endurance with godliness, your godliness with brotherly kindness, and your brotherly kindness with love. For if you possess these qualities, and if they continue to increase among you, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. For the person who lacks these qualities is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten the cleansing that he has received from his past sins. So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail. For in this way you will be generously granted entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah.


"In those days people will no longer say, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, but the children's teeth have been set on edge.' Instead, each person will die for his own iniquity. Everyone who eats sour grapes will have his own teeth set on edge."

This message came to me from the LORD: "Why do you cite this proverb when you talk about Israel's land: "The fathers eat sour grapes but it's their children's teeth that have become numb.' As long as I live," declares the LORD, "you won't use this proverb about Israel anymore. read more.
Look! Every living soul belongs to me the father's as well as the son's. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die." "If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD. "Now suppose that person produces a son who's violent, a murderer, and practices any of these things, even though the father hasn't done any of these things. The son who eats at mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the afflicted and the poor, robs others, doesn't return security for a debt, looks to idols, does detestable things, loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault." "Now suppose that he produced a son who practiced all of his father's sins, but then that son began to fear me and stopped doing all of these things. That is, suppose he doesn't eat at the mountain shrines, doesn't look to the idols of Israel's house, doesn't defile his neighbor's wife, doesn't oppress anyone, doesn't take possession of a debtor's pledge, or doesn't steal, but instead shares his food with the hungry, gives clothes to those who are naked, doesn't refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won't die because of his father's sin, will he? No! He'll certainly live. As for his father, watch out! If he wrongfully oppressed or robbed his brother and did what wasn't good among his people, he'll die because of his own sin." "Yet you keep asking, "Why wouldn't the son bear the punishment of his father's sin?' Because the son has done what was lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes and obeyed them, he's certainly going to live. The soul who sins dies. The son won't bear the punishment of his father's sin and the father won't bear the punishment of his son's sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him. But if the wicked person turns from all his sins, which he did and keeps my statutes, then he'll live. He won't die. None of the transgressions that he had committed will be held against him. Because of the righteous deeds that he had done, he'll live. "I don't take delight in the death of the wicked, do I?" asks the Lord GOD. "Shouldn't I rather delight when he turns from his wicked ways and lives? But when the righteous person abandons his righteous deeds and commits evil, detestable practices, as wicked people do, he won't live, will he? None of the righteous acts that he had done will be remembered. He'll die in his treacherous unfaithfulness and sins that he had committed." "Yet you keep saying, "The LORD isn't being consistent with his standards.' Pay attention, you house of Israel: Is my behavior really inconsistent with my standards? Isn't it your behavior that isn't just? "When a righteous person turns from his righteous deeds and does evil, he'll die because of that evil. He'll die because of his unrighteous acts that he committed. When a wicked person quits his wicked behavior and does what's just and right, he'll be enabled to live. Because he reconsidered his transgression and turned away from everything that he had been doing, he'll certainly live and not die. Yet Israel's house keeps saying, "The LORD isn't being consistent with his standards.' Is it my behavior that's inconsistent with my standards? Is it not your behavior that's inconsistent with my standards?" "Therefore, Israel, I'm going to judge you according to the behavior of each and every one of you," declares the Lord GOD. "So repent and turn from all your sins so that sin won't keep on being a stumbling block for you.


Stay far away from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent or the righteous, because I won't acquit the guilty.

"When a person has sexual relations with a woman servant who is engaged to another man, but she has not been completely redeemed nor has her freedom been granted to her, there is to be an inquiry, but they won't be put to death, since she has not been freed.

"If a man meets a girl in the country who is engaged to be married and then rapes her, the man alone the one who had sexual relations with her must die. As for the young lady, don't do anything to her. The young lady did nothing worthy of death. This case is similar to when a man attacks his countryman and kills him. Since he found her in the country, the engaged girl may have cried out, but there was no one to rescue her.

"Fathers must not be put to death on account of their children's sin; nor shall children die on account of their fathers' sin. Each person is to be put to death for his own sin.

but he did not execute the children of the murderers, in keeping with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD had commanded: "Fathers must not be put to death because of their children's sin; nor are children to die because of their fathers' sin, for each person is to be put to death for his own sin."

but he did not execute their children in obedience to what is written in the Law, the writings of Moses, where the LORD commanded, "Fathers are not to die because of what their children do, nor are children to die because of what their fathers do, but each person is to die for his own sins."

This message came to me from the LORD: "Why do you cite this proverb when you talk about Israel's land: "The fathers eat sour grapes but it's their children's teeth that have become numb.' As long as I live," declares the LORD, "you won't use this proverb about Israel anymore. read more.
Look! Every living soul belongs to me the father's as well as the son's. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die." "If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD. "Now suppose that person produces a son who's violent, a murderer, and practices any of these things, even though the father hasn't done any of these things. The son who eats at mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the afflicted and the poor, robs others, doesn't return security for a debt, looks to idols, does detestable things, loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault." "Now suppose that he produced a son who practiced all of his father's sins, but then that son began to fear me and stopped doing all of these things. That is, suppose he doesn't eat at the mountain shrines, doesn't look to the idols of Israel's house, doesn't defile his neighbor's wife, doesn't oppress anyone, doesn't take possession of a debtor's pledge, or doesn't steal, but instead shares his food with the hungry, gives clothes to those who are naked, doesn't refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won't die because of his father's sin, will he? No! He'll certainly live. As for his father, watch out! If he wrongfully oppressed or robbed his brother and did what wasn't good among his people, he'll die because of his own sin." "Yet you keep asking, "Why wouldn't the son bear the punishment of his father's sin?' Because the son has done what was lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes and obeyed them, he's certainly going to live. The soul who sins dies. The son won't bear the punishment of his father's sin and the father won't bear the punishment of his son's sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him.


"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, read more.
if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.


"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, read more.
if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.


"If you loan money to my people, to the poor among you, don't be like a creditor to them and don't impose interest on them.

loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault."


They take bribes among you to shed blood. You've taken usury and exacted interest. You've gained control over your neighbor through extortion. And you've forgotten me," declares the Lord GOD.

who does not loan his money with interest, and who does not take a bribe against those who are innocent. The one who does these things will stand firm forever. A special Davidic Psalm.

It will be the same for the lay people as for priests, the same for servants as for their masters, for female servants as for their mistresses, for buyers as for sellers, for lenders as for borrowers, and for creditors as for debtors.

Now the people along with their spouses complained loudly against their fellow Jews, because certain of them kept claiming, "Since we have so many sons and daughters, we must get some grain so we can eat and survive." Others were saying, "We're having to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes so we can buy grain during this famine." read more.
Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes. Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others." I became very livid when I heard their complaining and these charges. So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them. I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word. So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies? I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest. So today please restore to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and homes, along with the one percent interest charge that you've assessed them on the grain, wine, and oil." They responded, "We will restore these things, and will assess no interest charges against them. We will do what you are requesting!" So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise. I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise.

"Don't charge interest to your relatives, whether for money, food, or for anything that has been loaned at interest. You may charge interest to a foreigner, but don't charge interest to your relatives, so the LORD your God may bless you in everything you undertake in the land that you are about to enter and possess.

You are not to take interest or profit from him. Instead, you are to fear your God and let your relative live with you. You are not to loan him money with interest or sell him your food at a profit.

if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.

doesn't refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won't die because of his father's sin, will he? No! He'll certainly live.


if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.

I have acted with justice and righteousness; do not abandon me to my oppressors.


"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, read more.
if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.


The one who walks righteously and has spoken sincere words, who rejects gain from extortion and waves his hand, rejecting bribes, who blocks his ears from hearing plots of murder and shuts his eyes against seeing evil this is the one who will live on the heights; his refuge will be a mountain fortress. His food will be supplied, and his water will be guaranteed.

"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, read more.
if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.


My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, "Come with us! Let's lie in wait for blood; let's ambush some innocent person for no reason at all. Let's swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those who go down into the Pit. read more.
We'll find all kinds of valuable wealth, and we'll fill our houses with spoil. Throw your lot in with us, and all of us will have one purse." My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths! For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation. Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds, but these people lie in wait for their own blood. They ambush only themselves. Such is the way of all those who seek illicit gain it takes away the lives of those who possess it.

"Will not all of these ridicule him with mocking scorn? They will say, "Woe to the one who hordes for himself what isn't his. How long will you enrich yourself by extortion?' Won't your creditors revolt unexpectedly? Won't those who make you tremble wake up? As a result, you'll become their prey! Because you plundered many nations, all of their remnants will plunder you. Human blood has been shed, and violence has been done to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it." read more.
"Woe to the one who amasses profit upon unjust profit in order to establish his household, so he can establish a secure place on the heights and escape from the power of evil. You have brought shame to yourself by killing many people you are forfeiting your own life. Indeed, the stone will cry out from the wall and the rafter will respond from the woodwork." "Woe to the one who founds a city upon bloodshed, and constructs a city by lawlessness. Is it not because of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies that people grow tired putting out fires, and nations weary themselves over nothing? Indeed, the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as water fills the sea." "Woe to the one who supplies his neighbor with a drink! You are forcing your bottle on him, making him drunk so you can see them naked. You are filled with dishonor instead of glory. So go ahead, drink and be naked! The LORD will turn against you, and utter disgrace will debase your reputation. Indeed, the violence done to Lebanon will overtake you, and the destruction of the beasts will terrorize you because you shed human blood and did violence to the land, to the city, and to all who live in it."

""Cursed is one who strikes his neighbor secretly.' "Then all the people are to respond by saying, "Amen!' ""Cursed is one who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.' "Then all the people are to respond by saying, "Amen!'

This message came to me from the LORD: "Why do you cite this proverb when you talk about Israel's land: "The fathers eat sour grapes but it's their children's teeth that have become numb.' As long as I live," declares the LORD, "you won't use this proverb about Israel anymore. read more.
Look! Every living soul belongs to me the father's as well as the son's. So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die." "If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD. "Now suppose that person produces a son who's violent, a murderer, and practices any of these things, even though the father hasn't done any of these things. The son who eats at mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor's wife, oppresses the afflicted and the poor, robs others, doesn't return security for a debt, looks to idols, does detestable things, loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault."


"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, read more.
if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.


LORD, who may stay in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy mountain? The one who lives with integrity, who does righteous deeds, and who speaks truth to himself. The one who does not slander with his tongue, who does no evil to his neighbor, and who does not destroy his friend's reputation. read more.
The one who despises those who are utterly wicked, but who honors the one who fears the LORD, who keeps his word even when it hurts and does not change, who does not loan his money with interest, and who does not take a bribe against those who are innocent. The one who does these things will stand firm forever. A special Davidic Psalm.

"If a person is righteous, and practices what's lawful and right, if he doesn't eat at mountain shrines, and doesn't look to the idols that have been erected in Israel's house, if he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, if he doesn't oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor's security for his debt, if he doesn't rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, read more.
if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.


who does not loan his money with interest, and who does not take a bribe against those who are innocent. The one who does these things will stand firm forever. A special Davidic Psalm.

if he doesn't lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people, if he lives his life consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what's true, then he's righteous and will certainly live," declares the Lord GOD.