Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible




Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours! Verse ConceptsAthletesThe Christian RaceQuittingSelf DisciplineGames, SpiritualVictoryHoly AmbitionChampionsFast RunnersReward For WorksNot Giving UpWinningEnduranceCompetitionRaceHard Work And PerseveranceFinishing Strongtrainingfootballgames

But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal].And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]. Verse ConceptsAmbition, positive aspects ofCoveting, prohibition ofdiligenceSpiritual Gifts, Importance Of LoveHoly Ambitionthe Gifts of GodSpiritual GiftsExcellence

Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people]. Verse ConceptsGiftsCoveting, prohibition ofeagernessdiligenceSpiritual DesiresSpiritual Gifts, Importance Of LoveHoly AmbitionPursuingTargetsAim At LoveProphesying In The ChurchSpiritualSpiritual GiftsGifts And Talents

So it is with you, since you are so very eager to have spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that will build up the church [spiritually]. Verse ConceptsGiving, Of TalentsAbilityAmbition, positive aspects ofEnthusiasmencouragement, examples ofeagernessSpiritual Gifts, Purpose OfFervourZealHoly AmbitionBuilding Up The ChurchEach Local ChurchBuilding Each Other UpSpiritual GiftsGifts And Talentszealots

I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.


“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. Verse ConceptsDestructionGehennaPathways Of SinDamnationMany Seeking SalvationBroadnessNarrow ThingsEasy For PeopleHellGoing To Heavendistractions

And someone asked Him, Lord, will only a few be saved (rescued, delivered from the penalties of the last judgment, and made partakers of the salvation by Christ)? And He said to them, Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.




Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a crown that withers, but we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither]. Verse ConceptsCrowns Of ChristiansCrowns, Spiritual UseAthleticsLast JudgmentSelf DisciplineSpiritual StrivingPossessions DecayingEternal PossessionNo DecayBemaNot Giving UpSpiritual crownsSportsExerciseCompetitionRaceHard Work And Perseverancetrainingfitnessfootballstrivingcrowns



Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door [again and again], saying, Lord, open to us! He will answer you, I do not know where [ what household -- "certainly not Mine] you come from.


Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours! Verse ConceptsAthletesThe Christian RaceQuittingSelf DisciplineGames, SpiritualVictoryHoly AmbitionChampionsFast RunnersReward For WorksNot Giving UpWinningEnduranceCompetitionRaceHard Work And PerseveranceFinishing Strongtrainingfootballgames

But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal].And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]. Verse ConceptsAmbition, positive aspects ofCoveting, prohibition ofdiligenceSpiritual Gifts, Importance Of LoveHoly Ambitionthe Gifts of GodSpiritual GiftsExcellence

Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people]. Verse ConceptsGiftsCoveting, prohibition ofeagernessdiligenceSpiritual DesiresSpiritual Gifts, Importance Of LoveHoly AmbitionPursuingTargetsAim At LoveProphesying In The ChurchSpiritualSpiritual GiftsGifts And Talents

So it is with you, since you are so very eager to have spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that will build up the church [spiritually]. Verse ConceptsGiving, Of TalentsAbilityAmbition, positive aspects ofEnthusiasmencouragement, examples ofeagernessSpiritual Gifts, Purpose OfFervourZealHoly AmbitionBuilding Up The ChurchEach Local ChurchBuilding Each Other UpSpiritual GiftsGifts And Talentszealots

I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.


Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the part of Judea that is beyond the Jordan; And great throngs accompanied Him, and He cured them there.

Getting up, He left there (Capernaum) and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; and crowds gathered around Him again and accompanied Him, and as was His custom, He once more began to teach them. Verse ConceptsCustomCrowdsCrowds Around JesusChrist TeachingBeyond Jordanbridges

Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman there who for eighteen years had had an infirmity caused by a spirit ( a demon of sickness). She was bent completely forward and utterly unable to straighten herself up or to look upward. And when Jesus saw her, He called [her to Him] and said to her, Woman, you are released from your infirmity! read more.
Then He laid [His] hands on her, and instantly she was made straight, and she recognized and thanked and praised God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, There are six days on which work ought to be done; so come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day. But the Lord replied to him, saying, You playactors (hypocrites)! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it out to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? Even as He said this, all His opponents were put to shame, and all the people were rejoicing over all the glorious things that were being done by Him. This led Him to say, What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the wild birds found shelter and roosted and nested in its branches. And again He said, To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of wheat flour or meal until it was all leavened (fermented). [Jesus] journeyed on through towns and villages, teaching, and making His way toward Jerusalem. And someone asked Him, Lord, will only a few be saved (rescued, delivered from the penalties of the last judgment, and made partakers of the salvation by Christ)? And He said to them, Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door [again and again], saying, Lord, open to us! He will answer you, I do not know where [ what household -- "certainly not Mine] you come from. Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets. But He will say, I tell you, I do not know where [ what household -- "certainly not Mine] you come from; depart from Me, all you wrongdoers! There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves being cast forth (banished, driven away). And [people] will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit down (feast at table) in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are some [now] last who will be first [then], and there are some [now] first who will be last [then]. At that very hour some Pharisees came up and said to Him, Go away from here, for Herod is determined to kill You. And He said to them, Go and tell that fox [sly and crafty, skulking and cowardly], Behold, I drive out demons and perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish (complete) My course. Nevertheless, I must continue on My way today and tomorrow and the day after that -- "for it will never do for a prophet to be destroyed away from Jerusalem! O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who continue to kill the prophets and to stone those who are sent to you! How often I have desired and yearned to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen [gathers] her young under her wings, but you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken (abandoned, left to you destitute of God's help)! And I tell you, you will not see Me again until the time comes when you shall say, Blessed (to be celebrated with praises) is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!


The [chosen] path of life leads upward for the wise,
That he may keep away from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) below.
Verse ConceptsGrave, TheHell, Punishment OfWisdom, Human ImportanceMoving UpwardsNot DyingLife By WisdomPaths Of Lifeacting

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

[Jesus] journeyed on through towns and villages, teaching, and making His way toward Jerusalem. And someone asked Him, Lord, will only a few be saved (rescued, delivered from the penalties of the last judgment, and made partakers of the salvation by Christ)? And He said to them, Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.


who once were disobedient, when the great patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons [Noah’s family], were brought safely through the water. Verse ConceptsCovenant, God's with NoahBaptism, significance ofBefore The FloodGod's attitude towards peopleGod, Patience OfNoahSeafaringPunishment, DelayedLongsuffering Of GodThe DelugeDivine DelaysEight PeopleGod WaitingFew Peopledisobedienceinvesting


But you [still] have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes [that is, contaminated their character and personal integrity with sin]; and they will walk with Me [dressed] in white, because they are worthy (righteous). Verse ConceptsRest, EternalWalkingWorthinessWhite And Bright ClothesClothed With RighteousnessWhite ClothsClean ClothesFew PeopleFew In The KingdomWorthy PeopleThe Environment

But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it. Verse Conceptseternal life, gift ofSmallnessWay, TheNarrow ThingsSeeking LifeFinding ThingsNot FindingFew PeopleFew In The KingdomHard To Be SavedEternal lifePaths Of Life

Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us! But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].

Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door [again and again], saying, Lord, open to us! He will answer you, I do not know where [ what household -- "certainly not Mine] you come from.

Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ Verse ConceptsExorcismsdriving outLying WondersPeople Casting Out DemonsIn The Name Of ChristSpeaking In Christ's NameThe Fact Of That DayDemonsCasting Out DemonsDemonic Influence




Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a crown that withers, but we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither]. Verse ConceptsCrowns Of ChristiansCrowns, Spiritual UseAthleticsLast JudgmentSelf DisciplineSpiritual StrivingPossessions DecayingEternal PossessionNo DecayBemaNot Giving UpSpiritual crownsSportsExerciseCompetitionRaceHard Work And Perseverancetrainingfitnessfootballstrivingcrowns




Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours! Verse ConceptsAthletesThe Christian RaceQuittingSelf DisciplineGames, SpiritualVictoryHoly AmbitionChampionsFast RunnersReward For WorksNot Giving UpWinningEnduranceCompetitionRaceHard Work And PerseveranceFinishing Strongtrainingfootballgames


And someone asked Him, Lord, will only a few be saved (rescued, delivered from the penalties of the last judgment, and made partakers of the salvation by Christ)? And He said to them, Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.