Thematic Bible: Losing and things lost


Thematic Bible



Hear the word of the LORD, O ye Gentiles, and cause it to be known in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.

For thus hath the Lord GOD said: Behold, I, even I, will both search and recognize my sheep. As the shepherd recognizes his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I recognize my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the habitations of the country. read more.
I will feed them in good pastures and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there they shall sleep in a good fold, and in fat pastures they shall be fed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to have a fold, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them in judgment.

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man had a hundred sheep and one of them went astray, would he not leave the ninety-nine and go into the mountains and seek that which is gone astray? And if so be that he finds it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more of that one than of the ninety-nine who did not go astray. read more.
Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones should perish.

And he spoke this parable unto them, saying, What man of you having a hundred sheep if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. read more.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you that likewise there shall be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine just persons, who need no repentance. Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents. And he said, A certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of the estate that falls to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country and there wasted his estate with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he longed to fill his belly with the husks that the swine ate, but no one gave them unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no longer worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But when 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. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no longer worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his slaves, Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet and bring here the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come, and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and sound. And he was angry and would not go in, therefore his father came out and intreated him. And he, answering, said to his father, Behold, these many years I have served thee, neither at any time have I transgressed thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this thy son was come who has devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed the fatted calf for him. And he said unto him, Son, thou art always with me, and all that I have is thine. It was necessary that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

And Jesus said unto him, This day saving health is come to this house, inasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.



Then Jesus said unto his disciples, If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

saying, The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the princes of the priests and scribes and be slain and be raised the third day. And he said to them all, If anyone will come after me, let them deny themself and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whosoever desires to save his soul shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his soul for my sake, the same shall save it. read more.
For what is a man advantaged if he gains the whole world, having destroyed himself or having suffered the loss of himself?

And he that does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.

And he began to teach them that it was convenient that the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the princes of the priests and of the scribes, and be killed and after three days rise again. And he spoke this word clearly. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him. And he, turning about and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, Get thyself from me, Satan, for thou knowest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men. read more.
And calling the multitude unto him with his disciples, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?



But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to those that are lost, In whom the god of this age has blinded the understanding of those who do not believe, that the light of the gospel of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine in them.


Jesus spoke these words and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come; clarify thy Son, that thy Son may also clarify thee, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. read more.
I have clarified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou didst give me to do. And now, O Father, clarify thou me with thine own self with that clarity which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou didst give me out of the world; thine they were, and thou didst give them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them; I do not pray for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all my things are thine, and thine are mine; and I have been clarified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, those whom thou hast given me, keep them in thy name, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name; those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.