Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Atheism » Arguments against
"But ask [the] animals, and they will teach you, and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you; or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you. Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this? read more.
In whose hand [is] the life of all living things and {the breath of every human being}? Does not [the] ear test words and [the] palate taste food for itself? Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them. He strips [away] the insight of the heads of the earth's people, and he makes them wander in {a pathless wasteland}. They grope [in] the dark {without} light, and he makes them stagger like a drunkard.
In whose hand [is] the life of all living things and {the breath of every human being}? Does not [the] ear test words and [the] palate taste food for itself? Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them. He strips [away] the insight of the heads of the earth's people, and he makes them wander in {a pathless wasteland}. They grope [in] the dark {without} light, and he makes them stagger like a drunkard.
because what can be known about God is evident among them, for God made [it] clear to them. For from the creation of the world, his invisible [attributes], both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse.
Government » God setting up and removing kings
And the word of Yahweh came to me, {saying}, "Like this potter, am I not able to do to you, O house of Israel?" {declares} Yahweh. "Look, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so [are] you in my hand, O house of Israel. One moment I speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, to uproot, and to tear down, and to destroy [it]. read more.
But [if] that nation turns back from its evil that I have threatened against it, then I will relent concerning the disaster that I planned to do to it. And the [next] moment I speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant [it]. But [if] it does evil in my sight, to not listen to my voice, then I will relent concerning the good that I said I would do [to] it.
But [if] that nation turns back from its evil that I have threatened against it, then I will relent concerning the disaster that I planned to do to it. And the [next] moment I speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant [it]. But [if] it does evil in my sight, to not listen to my voice, then I will relent concerning the good that I said I would do [to] it.
The sentence [is] by [the] decree of [the] watchers, and the decision [by] [the] command of [the] holy [ones], {in order that} the living will know that the Most High [is] sovereign over [the] kingdom of humankind, and {to whomever} he wills he gives it, and he [even] sets [the] humblest of men over it."
Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this? In whose hand [is] the life of all living things and {the breath of every human being}? Does not [the] ear test words and [the] palate taste food for itself? read more.
Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them.
Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them.
[He is] the one who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants [are] like grasshoppers; the one who stretches out [the] heavens like a veil and spreads them out like tent to live [in], the one who brings princes to nothing; he makes rulers of [the] earth like nothing.
And you must command them for their masters, {saying}, 'Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, this you shall say to your masters: "I have made the earth with humankind and animals that [are] on the face of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and I give it to whomever is right in my eyes. And now I myself have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and also the animals of the field I have given to him to serve him. read more.
And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and {his grandson}, until the coming of the time of {his own} land. Then many nations and great kings will let him work. "But it will be [that] the nation or kingdom that will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put his neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, and with the famine, and with the plague," {declares} Yahweh, "until I have destroyed it with my hand.
And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and {his grandson}, until the coming of the time of {his own} land. Then many nations and great kings will let him work. "But it will be [that] the nation or kingdom that will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put his neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, and with the famine, and with the plague," {declares} Yahweh, "until I have destroyed it with my hand.
Daniel {said}: "Let his name, [the name] of God, be blessed {throughout the ages}, for the wisdom and the power {are his}. And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to [men who] know understanding.
{O king}, the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your {predecessor}. And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all the peoples, the nations and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wanted he killed, and whomever he wanted he let live, and whomever he wanted he honored, and whomever he wanted he humbled. But {when} his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard [so as] to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the glory {was taken away from him}. read more.
And he was driven away {from human society} and his mind was made like the animals and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses; [and] {he was given} grass like oxen to eat, and with the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {whoever} he wants he sets over it. "But you his {successor}, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart {even though} you knew all this. And [now] you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone that [do] not see and [do] not hear and [do] not know, but the God {who holds your life in his hand} and all of your ways {come from him}, you have not honored. So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed. "Now this was the writing that was inscribed: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.' "This [is] the explanation of the matter: 'Mene'--God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end [to] it. " 'Tekel'--you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting. " 'Peres'--your kingdom has been divided and given to [the] Medes and Persians.'" Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel [with] purple and [placed] a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be [the] third ruler [in authority] in the kingdom. {That same night} Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom {when he was about sixty-two years old}.
And he was driven away {from human society} and his mind was made like the animals and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses; [and] {he was given} grass like oxen to eat, and with the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {whoever} he wants he sets over it. "But you his {successor}, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart {even though} you knew all this. And [now] you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone that [do] not see and [do] not hear and [do] not know, but the God {who holds your life in his hand} and all of your ways {come from him}, you have not honored. So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed. "Now this was the writing that was inscribed: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.' "This [is] the explanation of the matter: 'Mene'--God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end [to] it. " 'Tekel'--you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting. " 'Peres'--your kingdom has been divided and given to [the] Medes and Persians.'" Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel [with] purple and [placed] a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be [the] third ruler [in authority] in the kingdom. {That same night} Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom {when he was about sixty-two years old}.
Nations » The lord destroying nations
Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this? In whose hand [is] the life of all living things and {the breath of every human being}? Does not [the] ear test words and [the] palate taste food for itself? read more.
Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them.
Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them.
O Lord, at your right [hand] he will shatter kings in the day of his anger. He will judge among the nations; he will fill [them] with corpses. He will shatter [the] {rulers} of many countries.
Philosophy » Philosophical inductions and deductions relating to God and his providence
"But I myself will seek God, and to God I would commit my cause. [He] is doing great and {unsearchable} things, marvelous things {without number}-- the one who is giving rain on [the] {surface of} [the] earth and is sending water on [the] {surface of} [the] fields, read more.
to set [the] lowly on high, and [those] mourning are lifted to safety. [He] is frustrating [the] devices of [the] crafty, and their hands do not achieve success. [He] is capturing [the] wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are rushed. In the daytime they meet [with] darkness, and they grope at noon as [in] the night. And he saves from the sword of their mouth, {even} [the] poor from the hand of the strong. So there is hope for the powerless, and wickedness shuts its mouth. "Look, happy [is the] human being whom God reproves; and you must not despise the discipline of Shaddai, for he himself wounds, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal. {From} six troubles he will deliver you, and in seven evil shall not touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from [the] {power of} [the] sword.
to set [the] lowly on high, and [those] mourning are lifted to safety. [He] is frustrating [the] devices of [the] crafty, and their hands do not achieve success. [He] is capturing [the] wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are rushed. In the daytime they meet [with] darkness, and they grope at noon as [in] the night. And he saves from the sword of their mouth, {even} [the] poor from the hand of the strong. So there is hope for the powerless, and wickedness shuts its mouth. "Look, happy [is the] human being whom God reproves; and you must not despise the discipline of Shaddai, for he himself wounds, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal. {From} six troubles he will deliver you, and in seven evil shall not touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from [the] {power of} [the] sword.
I will say to God, 'You should not condemn me; let me know why you contend [against] me. Is it good for you that you oppress, that you despise the labor of your hands, and you smile over the schemes of [the] wicked? {Do you have eyes of flesh}? Or {do you see as human beings see}? read more.
[Are] your days as the days of human beings, or your years as the days of man, that you seek out my iniquity, and you search for my sin because of your knowledge that I am not guilty, and there is no escaping from your hand? Your hands fashioned me and made me {altogether}, then you destroyed me. Please remember that you made me like clay, but you turn me into dust [again]? Did you not pour me out like milk and {curdle me} like cheese? You clothed me [with] skin and flesh, and you knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and loyal love, and your care has preserved my spirit. " 'Yet you hid these [things] in your heart; I know that this {was your purpose}. If I had sinned, then you would be watching me, and you would not acquit me of my guilt. If I am guilty, woe to me! But if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head; [I am] filled [with] shame, and [just] look [at] my misery! And [if my head] grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime; {and you repeat your exploits against me}. You renew your witnesses against me, and you increase your vexation against me; {relief forces} [are] against me. So why did you bring me forth from the womb? I should have passed away, {and no eye should have seen me}. I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been brought from [the] womb to the grave. [Are] not my days few? Let him leave [me] alone; let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little. Before I go--and I will not return-- to [the] land of darkness and deep shadow,
[Are] your days as the days of human beings, or your years as the days of man, that you seek out my iniquity, and you search for my sin because of your knowledge that I am not guilty, and there is no escaping from your hand? Your hands fashioned me and made me {altogether}, then you destroyed me. Please remember that you made me like clay, but you turn me into dust [again]? Did you not pour me out like milk and {curdle me} like cheese? You clothed me [with] skin and flesh, and you knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and loyal love, and your care has preserved my spirit. " 'Yet you hid these [things] in your heart; I know that this {was your purpose}. If I had sinned, then you would be watching me, and you would not acquit me of my guilt. If I am guilty, woe to me! But if I am righteous, I dare not lift my head; [I am] filled [with] shame, and [just] look [at] my misery! And [if my head] grows bold, you would hunt me as the lion in its prime; {and you repeat your exploits against me}. You renew your witnesses against me, and you increase your vexation against me; {relief forces} [are] against me. So why did you bring me forth from the womb? I should have passed away, {and no eye should have seen me}. I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been brought from [the] womb to the grave. [Are] not my days few? Let him leave [me] alone; let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little. Before I go--and I will not return-- to [the] land of darkness and deep shadow,
[The] tents of [the] destroyers are at peace, and [there is] security for those who provoke God, [for those] whom God brings into his hand. "But ask [the] animals, and they will teach you, and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you; or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you. read more.
Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this? In whose hand [is] the life of all living things and {the breath of every human being}? Does not [the] ear test words and [the] palate taste food for itself? Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them. He strips [away] the insight of the heads of the earth's people, and he makes them wander in {a pathless wasteland}.
Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this? In whose hand [is] the life of all living things and {the breath of every human being}? Does not [the] ear test words and [the] palate taste food for itself? Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days. "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding. If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed. Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land. "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his. He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges. He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins. He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}. He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders. He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty. "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light. He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them. He strips [away] the insight of the heads of the earth's people, and he makes them wander in {a pathless wasteland}.
"Look, [in] this you are not right--I will answer you: Indeed, God is greater than a human being. Why do you contend against him, that he will not answer all a person's words? Indeed, God speaks in one [way], even in two, [yet] [someone] does not perceive it. read more.
"In a dream, a vision of [the] night, when a deep sleep falls on men slumbering on [their] bed, then he opens [the] ear of men, and {he frightens them with a warning} to turn human beings aside [from their] deeds, and he keeps man from pride. He spares his life from [the] pit and his life from passing over the river [of death]. "And he is reproved with pain on his bed, even [with] the strife of his bones continually, {so that} his life loathes bread, and his inner self [loathes] {appetizing food}. His flesh is wasted away from sight, and his bones, [which] are invisible, are bared. And {he} draws near to the pit and his life to the killers. "If there is a messenger beside him, a mediator, one of a thousand, to declare to a human being his uprightness {so that} he is gracious [to] him, and he says, 'Deliver him from descending into [the] pit; I have found a ransom.' His flesh is renewed with [his] youth; he returns to [the] days of his youthful strength. He prays to God, then he accepts him, and he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he repays to the human being his righteousness. "He will sing to men, and he will say, 'I have sinned and have perverted [what is] right, and it was not paid back to me. He redeemed my life from going down into the pit, so {I will enjoy the light}.' Look, God does all these [things] twice, three times with a person to bring his life back from [the] pit {so that he may enjoy the light of life}.
"In a dream, a vision of [the] night, when a deep sleep falls on men slumbering on [their] bed, then he opens [the] ear of men, and {he frightens them with a warning} to turn human beings aside [from their] deeds, and he keeps man from pride. He spares his life from [the] pit and his life from passing over the river [of death]. "And he is reproved with pain on his bed, even [with] the strife of his bones continually, {so that} his life loathes bread, and his inner self [loathes] {appetizing food}. His flesh is wasted away from sight, and his bones, [which] are invisible, are bared. And {he} draws near to the pit and his life to the killers. "If there is a messenger beside him, a mediator, one of a thousand, to declare to a human being his uprightness {so that} he is gracious [to] him, and he says, 'Deliver him from descending into [the] pit; I have found a ransom.' His flesh is renewed with [his] youth; he returns to [the] days of his youthful strength. He prays to God, then he accepts him, and he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he repays to the human being his righteousness. "He will sing to men, and he will say, 'I have sinned and have perverted [what is] right, and it was not paid back to me. He redeemed my life from going down into the pit, so {I will enjoy the light}.' Look, God does all these [things] twice, three times with a person to bring his life back from [the] pit {so that he may enjoy the light of life}.