Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible






"But before all these [things], they will lay their hands on you and will persecute [you], handing [you] over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

Remember the word that I said to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.




This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, [that] you no longer walk as the Gentiles walk: in the futility of their mind, being darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance [that] is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, who, becoming callous, gave themselves over to licentiousness, for the pursuit of all uncleanness in greediness.

Have they acted ashamed, for they have committed a detestable thing? Not at all, nor were they ashamed; they did not know to feel humiliated. {Therefore} they will fall among [those who] fall at the time I punish them, they will stumble," says Yahweh.



There is a way [that seems] upright {to} a man, but its end [is] the way of death.

This is the way of a woman committing adultery: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says "I have not done wrong."

Alas [for] those being at ease in Zion, and those who feel secure on Mount Samaria, the notables of the best of the nations! The house of Israel resorts to them.

You that put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of violence! [Alas for] those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches, and those eating young rams from [the] sheep and goats, and bull-calves from the middle of [the] animal stall. [Alas for those] who sing to the tune of the harp; like David they improvise on instruments of music. read more.
[Alas for those] who drink from sprinkling bowls of wine and anoint themselves with the best of olive oils and are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.

{They will expel you from the synagogue}, but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God. And they will do these [things] because they do not know the Father or me.

For [although they] knew God, they did not honor [him] as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles. read more.
Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to immorality, [that] their bodies would be dishonored among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed for eternity. Amen.


This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ, not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every [branch] that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither [can] you, unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you [are] the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him--this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples. "Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have spoken these [things] to you in order that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made complete. This is my commandment: that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I have heard from my Father I have revealed to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, in order that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. These [things] I command you: that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before [it hated] you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this [reason] the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But they will do all these [things] to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. But now they do not have a valid excuse for their sin. The one who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. But [this happened] so that the word that is written in their law would be fulfilled, 'They hated me without a reason.' "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father--that one will testify about me.


And likewise also, the Spirit helps [us] in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes [for us] [with] unexpressed groanings. And the one who searches our hearts knows what the mindset of the Spirit [is], because he intercedes on behalf of the saints according to [the will of] God. And we know that all [things] work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to [his] purpose,

But just as it is written, "[Things] which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him." For to us God has revealed [them] through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all [things], even the depths of God.

"I have said these [things] to you so that you will not fall away. {They will expel you from the synagogue}, but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God. And they will do these [things] because they do not know the Father or me. read more.
But I have said these [things] to you so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you about them. But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you is asking me, 'Where are you going?' But because I have said these [things] to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And [when he] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me, and concerning righteousness, because I am going away to the Father and you will see me no more, and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. I still have many [things] to say to you, but you are not able to bear [them] now. But when he--the Spirit of truth--comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will proclaim to you the things to come. He will glorify me, because he will take from what [is] mine and will proclaim [it] to you.

Now we possess such confidence through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our adequacy [is] from God, who also makes us adequate [as] servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.


to whom it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you with reference to the same [things] which now have been announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, {things into which} angels desire to look.

And he said to them, "These [are] my words that I spoke to you [while I] was still with you, that everything that is written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written [that] the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, read more.
and repentance and the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these [things]. And behold, I am sending out what was promised by my Father upon you, but you stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba! (Father!)," so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.

How many are your works, O Yahweh; all of them you have done in wisdom. The earth is full of your creatures. This [is] the great and {wide} sea, in which [are] moving animals without number, living things small and great. There [the] ships sail. Leviathan [is there] that you formed to play with. read more.
They all wait for you to give [them] their food {at the proper time}. You give to them; they gather [it]. You open your hand, they are filled with [what is] good. You hide your face, they are terrified. You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of [the] ground.

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and {will take up residence with him}. The one who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. These [things] I have spoken to you [while] residing with you. read more.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name--that one will teach you all [things], and will remind you of everything that I said to you.

"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father--that one will testify about me. And you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I have said these [things] to you so that you will not fall away. {They will expel you from the synagogue}, but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God. And they will do these [things] because they do not know the Father or me. read more.
But I have said these [things] to you so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you about them. But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you is asking me, 'Where are you going?' But because I have said these [things] to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.



{They will expel you from the synagogue}, but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God. And they will do these [things] because they do not know the Father or me.

Furthermore, the light of [the] wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire will not shine. The light becomes dark in his tent, and his lamp above him is put out. "{His strong steps} are shortened, and his [own] schemes throw him down, read more.
for he is thrust into a net by his feet, and he walks into a pitfall. A trap seizes [him] by [the] heel; a snare takes hold of him. His rope is hidden in the ground, and his trap on [the] path. "Sudden terrors terrify him all around, and they chase him at his heels. His wealth will become hunger, and disaster is ready for his stumbling. It consumes parts of his skin; the firstborn of death consumes his limbs. He is torn from his tent {in which he trusted}, and it brought him to the king of terrors. "{Nothing} remains for him in his tent; sulfur is scattered upon his dwelling place. His roots dry up {below}, and its branches wither away above. His remembrance perishes from [the] earth, and [there is] not a name for him on [the] street. "They thrust him from light into darkness, and they drive him out from [the] world. [There is] no offspring for him nor a descendant among his people, and there is not a survivor in his abode. [Those of the] west are appalled over {his fate}, and [those of the] east {are seized with horror}. Surely these [are] the dwellings of [the] godless, and this [is] the dwelling place of him [who] knows not God."

Chastise me, Yahweh, but in moderation, not in your anger, lest you eradicate me. Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you, and on [the] peoples that do not call on your name, for they have devoured Jacob, they have devoured and consumed him, and they have caused his settlement to be desolate.

and to you who are being afflicted, rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, with burning flame giving punishment to those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, who will pay the penalty [of] eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength,







For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as condemned to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to people. We [are] fools for the sake of Christ, but you [are] prudent in Christ! We [are] weak, but you [are] strong! You [are] honored, but we [are] dishonored! Until the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty and poorly clothed and roughly treated and homeless, read more.
and we toil, working with our own hands. [When we are] reviled, we bless; [when we are] persecuted, we endure; [when we are] slandered, we encourage. We have become like the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all [things], until now.

And [as] he was going out of the temple [courts], one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look! What great stones and what wonderful buildings!" And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not [one] stone will be left here on [another] stone that will not be thrown down!" And [as] he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, read more.
"Tell us, when will these [things] happen, and what [will be] the sign when all these [things] are about to be accomplished?" So Jesus began to say to them, "Watch out that no one deceives you! Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am [he],' and they will deceive many. And when you hear about wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must happen, but the end [is] not yet. For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in [various] places. There will be famines. These [things] [are] the beginning of birth pains. "But you, watch out for yourselves! They will hand you over to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues and will have to stand before governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. And when they arrest you [and] hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that hour, say this. For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father [his] child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end--this one will be saved.

"Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. But beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils, and they will flog you in their synagogues. And you will be brought before both governors and kings because of me, for a witness to them and to the Gentiles. read more.
But whenever they hand you over, do not be anxious how [to speak] or what you should say, for what you should say will be given to you at that hour. For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father [who is] speaking through you. "And brother will hand over brother to death, and a father [his] children, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end--this one will be saved. And whenever they persecute you in this town, flee to another, for truly I say to you, you will never finish [going through] the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes. "A disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor a slave superior to his master. [It is] enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household?

And [as] Jesus went out of the temple [courts] he was going along, and his disciples came up to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered [and] said to them, "Do you not see all these [things]? Truly I say to you, not [one] stone will be left here on [another] stone that will not be thrown down!" And [as] he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came up to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these [things] happen, and what [will be] the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" read more.
And Jesus answered [and] said to them, "Watch out that no one deceives you! For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will deceive many. And you are going to hear about wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in [various] places. But all these [things] [are] the beginning of birth pains. "Then they will hand you over to persecution and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations because of my name. And then many will be led into sin and will betray one another and will hate one another,

And [while] some were speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with precious stones and votive offerings, he said, "[As for] these [things] that you see--days will come in which not [one] stone will be left on [another] stone that will not be thrown down!" And they asked him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these [things] happen, and what [will be] the sign when these [things] are about to take place?" read more.
And he said, Watch out that you are not deceived! For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am [he],' and 'The time is near!' Do not go after them! And when you hear about wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these [things] must happen first, but the end [will] not [be] at once." Then he said to them, "nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and famines and plagues in [various] places. There will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven. "But before all these [things], they will lay their hands on you and will persecute [you], handing [you] over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will turn out to you for a [time of] witness. {Therefore make up your minds} not to prepare in advance to speak in your own defense, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom that all your opponents will not be able to resist or contradict. And you will be handed over even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put to death [some] of you. And you will be hated by all because of my name. Even a hair of your head will never perish! By your patient endurance you will gain your lives.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every [branch] that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither [can] you, unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you [are] the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him--this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples. "Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have spoken these [things] to you in order that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made complete. This is my commandment: that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I have heard from my Father I have revealed to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, in order that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. These [things] I command you: that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before [it hated] you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this [reason] the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

"I have said these [things] to you so that you will not fall away. {They will expel you from the synagogue}, but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God. And they will do these [things] because they do not know the Father or me. read more.
But I have said these [things] to you so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you about them.





"But before all these [things], they will lay their hands on you and will persecute [you], handing [you] over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

Remember the word that I said to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.




They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they want to exclude you, in order that you may seek them [zealously].

For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism, that to an extraordinary degree I was persecuting the church of God, and trying to destroy it, and was progressing in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my nation, [because] I was a far more zealous adherent of the traditions handed down by my forefathers.

For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For ignoring the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.


And [when] they heard [this], they began to glorify God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous adherents of the law.


And a scribe approached [and] said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go!" And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky [have] nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

And [as] they were traveling on the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go!" And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky [have] nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay [his] head."

Some even because of envy and strife preach Christ, but some also because of good will. The latter [do so] from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction in my imprisonment. read more.
{What is the result?} Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. But also I will rejoice,


to whom it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you with reference to the same [things] which now have been announced to you through those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, {things into which} angels desire to look.

And he said to them, "These [are] my words that I spoke to you [while I] was still with you, that everything that is written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written [that] the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, read more.
and repentance and the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these [things]. And behold, I am sending out what was promised by my Father upon you, but you stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba! (Father!)," so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.

How many are your works, O Yahweh; all of them you have done in wisdom. The earth is full of your creatures. This [is] the great and {wide} sea, in which [are] moving animals without number, living things small and great. There [the] ships sail. Leviathan [is there] that you formed to play with. read more.
They all wait for you to give [them] their food {at the proper time}. You give to them; they gather [it]. You open your hand, they are filled with [what is] good. You hide your face, they are terrified. You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of [the] ground.

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and {will take up residence with him}. The one who does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. These [things] I have spoken to you [while] residing with you. read more.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name--that one will teach you all [things], and will remind you of everything that I said to you.

"When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father--that one will testify about me. And you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I have said these [things] to you so that you will not fall away. {They will expel you from the synagogue}, but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God. And they will do these [things] because they do not know the Father or me. read more.
But I have said these [things] to you so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you about them. But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you is asking me, 'Where are you going?' But because I have said these [things] to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.





"But before all these [things], they will lay their hands on you and will persecute [you], handing [you] over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

Remember the word that I said to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.




They answered and said to him, "You were born completely in sin, and are you attempting to teach us?" And they threw him out.


(His parents said these [things] because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already decided that if anyone should confess him [to be] Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.

Yet despite that, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [it], so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue.


But when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you should speak in your own defense or what you should say,

And throughout all the synagogues I punished them often [and] tried to force [them] to blaspheme, and [because I] was enraged at them beyond measure, I was pursuing [them] even as far as to foreign cities.



(His parents said these [things] because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already decided that if anyone should confess him [to be] Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.



(His parents said these [things] because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already decided that if anyone should confess him [to be] Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.

Yet despite that, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess [it], so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue.