Thematic Bible: Illustrated


Thematic Bible










"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him was moved with compassion. Verse ConceptsOpportunities, In LifeOutsidersTravelPeople Showing Mercy


"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.' Verse ConceptsGuilt, Human Aspects OfRepentance, Examples OfConviction Of SinAfflicted Saints, Examples OfWe Have SinnedBeing A Good Father

"But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "'O God be merciful to me, the sinner!' Verse ConceptsContritionReconciliation, Of The World To GodRepentance, Examples OfRepentance, Nature OfConviction Of SinBeating OneselfBe Merciful!Far From Heredistancebreastspitytaxes



"But in the course of time the beggar died; and he was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. "The rich man also died, and was buried. And as he was tormented in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom.

"The rich man also died, and was buried. And as he was tormented in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham have mercy on me; and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' "'Remember my son.' said Abraham, 'that you had in your lifetime all your good things, and in the same way Lazarus his evil things; but now here he is comforted, and you are in anguish. read more.
"But besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can those who would cross from you to us.'





"Thus the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. "But when he began to settle, one of them was brought before him who owed him fifteen million dollars. "And since he was unable to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, toward the payment of the debt. read more.
"Thereupon his slave threw himself on his knees before him, crying, "'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all!' "So then the master pitied his slave, and let him go, and forgave him his debt. "But on his way out, that slave met a fellow slave who owed him fifty dollars. Seizing him by the throat, and nearly choking him, he exclaimed, "'Pay me what you owe me!' "Then his fellow slave fell at his feet, and besought him, saying, "'Be patient with me, and I will pay you.' "But he would not; on the contrary he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. "When therefore his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very angry; and they went and explained to their master all that had happened. "Immediately his master summoned him and said: "'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me. "'Ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow slave, just as I had pity on you?' "Then in hot anger his master handed him over to the torturers, until he should pay him all his debt. "So will my heavenly Father do to you also, unless from your heart each one of you forgive his brother."

"To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another, one??o each according to his individual ability??nd then set out on his travels. "At once the man who had received the five talents went out and traded with them, and made five talents more. "In the same way the one who got two talents made another two. read more.
"But he who had received the one talent went off, and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. "After a long time the master of those slaves came, and demanded a reckoning with them. "The man who had received the five talents came, bringing five more, and said: "'Master, five talents you entrusted to me; see, I have gained five more.' "'Well done, good and faithful slave,' replied his master; 'You have been faithful over many things. Enter into your master's joy.' "The second, who had received the two talents, came up and said: "'Master, it was two talents that you entrusted to me; see, I have gained two more.' "'Well done, good and faithful slave,' his master replied, 'You have been faithful over many things; enter into your master's joy.' "Then the man who had received the one talent came up and said: "'Master, I knew you were a hard man, reaping where you had not sown, and gathering where you had not scattered; "so I was afraid; I went away and buried your talent in the earth. There, you have what belongs to you!' "'You wicked and lazy slave,' said his master. 'You say you knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not scattered?' Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my property with interest. So take away the talent from him, and give it to the man who has ten talents. (For to every one who has, it shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has not shall be taken away even what he has.) But cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.'


"'Remember my son.' said Abraham, 'that you had in your lifetime all your good things, and in the same way Lazarus his evil things; but now here he is comforted, and you are in anguish. Verse ConceptsLimitednessRiches, Ungodly Use OfDeath Of The Saints, Results InPainful MemoriesReversalsGiving Good ThingsBad SituationsGod Has ComfortedOvercoming Adversity

Then he spoke to them in a parable. "The ground of a certain rich man bore heavy crops. "So he debated with himself saying, 'What shall I do? for I have no place in which to store my crops.' "And he said to himself. 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build larger ones in which I will store all my wheat and my goods. read more.
"'And I will say to my soul, "'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years! Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.' "But God said to him. 'Foolish man! This very night your soul is wanted! And these things you have prepared, whose shall they be?




So he said: "A certain nobleman went abroad to receive for himself royal power and to return. "And he summoned ten slaves of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, "'Trade with these until I come.' "But this fellow citizens hated him, and sent a deputation after him to say, 'We do not wish this man to become our king.'


"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like white-washed sepulchers. They look beautiful without, but within they are filled with dead men's bones and all rottenness. "Just so you also outwardly appear to men, just, but within you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.


"But he who had received the one talent went off, and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. Verse ConceptsTalentsExcavationHidden ThingsOne Material ThingHoles In The GroundGifts And TalentsMoney Blessingsinvestinghiding

"'You wicked and lazy slave,' said his master. 'You say you knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not scattered?' Verse ConceptsTalentsSlothfulnessNot SowingNot Reaping What You SowKnowing God's Character





"'Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, "'for this son of mine was dead and is alive again??e was lost and is found.'

"I tell you that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself shall be humbled; but he who humbles himself shall be exalted." Verse ConceptsHumilityPromotionIndividuals going homeHumbling Oneself


"If after that it bears fruit, well and good; but if not you shall cut it down.'" Verse ConceptsDivine DelaysFelling TreesBearing FruitOlive Treescutting

Then he gave them this parable. "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came to look for fruit on it, but found none. Verse ConceptsMetaphorical VineyardsSeeking For Concrete Things

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. "How does it seem to you, when a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them? Will he not leave the ninety and nine on the hills, to go and search for the one that has strayed? "And if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you solemnly that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety and nine that never strayed away.

"And he summoned ten slaves of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, "'Trade with these until I come.' Verse ConceptsGiving, Of TalentsTradeAppropriationTen PeopleLarge DenominationsSpecific Sums Of MoneyEternal PerspectiveBusinessFinancesTalentsGifts And Talentsinvesting

"For it is like a man going into another country, who summoned his slaves, and committed his property to their care. Verse ConceptsTalentsRich, TheLikeningEntrustingLikening ThingsPropertyGifts And Talentsmathlent

"And as they took it they began to grumble against the master of the house. Verse ConceptsGrumbling At People

"'All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you never gave me even a kid so that I might make merry with my friends. "'But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with harlots, you have killed him the fatted calf.'

"When they had nothing pay he forgave them with such charm. "Tell me, then, which of these will love him most?" Verse ConceptsPeople Forgiving OthersUnable To Do Other ThingsDebtLove And Forgiveness

"So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.' "'Fetch the best robe, quick,' said the father to his slaves, 'and put it on him, and give him a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. read more.
"'Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, "'for this son of mine was dead and is alive again??e was lost and is found.'


"Listen to another parable: "A man who was a householder planted a vineyard, fenced it about, dug a wine vat in it, built a tower, then rented it to vine-dressers and went abroad. When the time of fruit drew near, he sent his slaves to the vine-dressers to get his fruit. And the vine-dressers seized his slaves, flogged one, killed another, and stoned a third. read more.
Again he sent other slaves, a larger number than at first, and they treated them in the same way. And last he sent his son to them; 'Surely they will respect my son,' he said. But when the vine-dressers saw his son, they said to themselves: "'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance.' "So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

some other seed fell on stony soil, where it had not much earth; and it sprang up quickly because it had no depth of soil, Verse ConceptsShallownessSprouting PlantsSuddenlySproutingThings Going Up

but because they have no root in themselves they last for a time; but when suffering or persecution ensues because of the Word, they at once fall away. Verse ConceptsAfflictions, In Christian LivingShallownessFor The Sake Of ThingsPersecutionpressure


"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in the ground, which a man finds but buries again, and then in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that land. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of beautiful pearls. "When he finds one of great price, he goes and sells everything he has and buys it.




"But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "'O God be merciful to me, the sinner!' Verse ConceptsContritionReconciliation, Of The World To GodRepentance, Examples OfRepentance, Nature OfConviction Of SinBeating OneselfBe Merciful!Far From Heredistancebreastspitytaxes

"'I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight, "'"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."' "So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. read more.
"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.'

only they used to hear it said, "He who was once persecuting us is now preaching the gospel of the very faith which he once tried to ruin." Verse ConceptsFaith, As A Body Of Beliefsenemies, of Jesus ChristGospel, Transmission OfPersecution, Forms Of

"'I will go, sir,' he answered; yet he did not go. Verse ConceptsPeople Changing Their MindsPeople UnwillingObeying People

"When he came to himself he said: "'How many of my father's hired men have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing of hunger! "'I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight, "'"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."'


Foolish man! The seed you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And when you sow the seed you are not sowing the body that it will become, but bare grain, of wheat perhaps, or some other grain.


"And upon his return after he had secured the royal power, he ordered the slaves to whom he had given the money to be called in, so that he might know what they had gained by trading. Verse ConceptsGiving, Of TalentsOthers Summoninginvesting

But at midnight there arose a cry, "'Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!' Verse ConceptsHourMidnightMeeting God

"and be yourselves like men who are looking for the Lord, on his return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they may at once open the door for him. Verse ConceptsKnockingBanquets, Events CelebratedLordship, Human And DivineWaitingImitating Good PeopleThe Act Of OpeningOpening To OthersChrist Coming AgainWaiting For The Second ComingAttitudes While Waiting For Second ComingWaiting Till Marriage

So he said: "A certain nobleman went abroad to receive for himself royal power and to return. Verse ConceptsHeirsInheritance, SpiritualNoblesRich, TheIndividuals going homeFar From HereGifts And Talents

"Two men are going up to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a tax-gatherer. "The Pharisee stood apart and thus began to pray by himself. "'O God, I thank thee that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax gatherer; "'I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all my possessions.'








"When the strong man fully aroused keeps guard over his homestead, his property is undisturbed; "but when the stronger man attacks him, he takes away from the strong armor in which he was trusting and divides up the spoil.



According to the grace of God vouchsafed me, like a skillful master-builder, I have laid a foundation; but another will be building upon it. Let each take heed how he builds on it. The foundation is already laid??esus Christ??nd no man can lay another.



Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her, in order that after cleansing her in the bath of baptism, he might sanctify her by his word, so as to present her to himself, the church glorified, without spot or wrinkle or any such blemish; but on the contrary holy and faultless. read more.
That is how husbands ought to love their wives, as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it as Christ does the church; for we are members of his body. For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. There is a deep mystery here?? am speaking of Christ and his church.



"and be yourselves like men who are looking for the Lord, on his return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they may at once open the door for him. Verse ConceptsKnockingBanquets, Events CelebratedLordship, Human And DivineWaitingImitating Good PeopleThe Act Of OpeningOpening To OthersChrist Coming AgainWaiting For The Second ComingAttitudes While Waiting For Second ComingWaiting Till Marriage



"and be yourselves like men who are looking for the Lord, on his return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they may at once open the door for him. Verse ConceptsKnockingBanquets, Events CelebratedLordship, Human And DivineWaitingImitating Good PeopleThe Act Of OpeningOpening To OthersChrist Coming AgainWaiting For The Second ComingAttitudes While Waiting For Second ComingWaiting Till Marriage



"Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning; "and be yourselves like men who are looking for the Lord, on his return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they may at once open the door for him.