Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



We would like you, brothers, to understand about those who are asleep in death. You must not grieve for them, like the rest of men who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then it follows that by means of Jesus God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For we tell you, as the Lord has told us, that we the living, who survive till the Lord comes, are by no means to take precedence of those who have fallen asleep. read more.
The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a loud summons, when the archangel calls and the trumpet of God sounds; the dead in Christ will rise first; then we the living, who survive, will be caught up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall be with the Lord for ever. Now then, encourage one another with these words.

Now there was a man ill, Lazarus of Bethany ??the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (The Mary whose brother Lazarus was ill was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair.) so the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." read more.
When Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness is not to end in death; the end of it is the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby." [Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; So, when he heard of the illness, he stayed where he was for two days; then, after that, he said to the disciples, "Let us go back to Judaea." "Rabbi," said the disciples, "the Jews were trying to stone you only the other day; are you going back there?" Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If one walks during the day he does not stumble, for he sees the light of this world: but if one walks during the night he does stumble, for the light is not in him." This he said, then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; I am going to waken him." "Lord," said the disciples, "if he has fallen asleep, he will get better." Jesus, however, had been speaking of his death; but as they imagined he meant natural sleep, he then told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead; and for your sakes I am glad I was not there, that you may believe. Come now, let us go to him." Whereupon Thomas (called 'the Twin') said to his fellow-disciples, "Let us go too, let us die along with him!" Now when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried for four days. [vss & placed between vss a number of Jews had gone to condole with Martha and Mary about their brother; Then Martha, hearing of the arrival of Jesus, went out to meet him, while Mary sat at home. Said Martha to Jesus, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died. But now ??well, I know whatever you ask God for, he will grant you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." "I know," said Martha, "he will rise at the resurrection, on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am myself resurrection and life: he who believes in me will live, even if he dies, and no one who lives and believes in me will ever die. You believe that?" "Yes, Lord," she said, "I do believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world" ??28 and with these words she went off to call her sister Mary, telling her secretly, "The Teacher is here, and he is calling for you." So, on hearing this, Mary rose hurriedly and went to him. & 31] Now as Bethany is not far from Jerusalem, only about two miles away, Jesus had not entered the village yet, he was still at the spot where Martha had met him. and when the Jews who were condoling with her inside the house noticed her rise hurriedly and go out, they followed her, as they imagined she was going to wail at the tomb. But when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she dropped at his feet, crying, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died." Now when Jesus saw her wailing and saw the Jews who accompanied her wailing, he chafed in spirit and was disquieted. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. They answered, "Come and see, sir." Jesus burst into tears. Whereupon the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" ??37 though some of them asked, "Could he not have prevented him from dying, when he could open a blind man's eyes?" This made Jesus chafe afresh, so he went to the tomb; it was a cave with a boulder to close it. Jesus said, "Remove the boulder." "Lord," said Martha, the dead man's sister, "he will be stinking by this time; he has been dead four days." "Did I not tell you," said Jesus, "if you will only believe, you shall see the glory of God?" Then they removed the boulder, and Jesus, lifting his eyes to heaven, said, "Father, I thank thee for listening to me. (I knew thou wouldst always listen to me, but I spoke on account of the crowd around, that they might believe thou hast sent me.)" So saying, he exclaimed with a loud cry, "Lazarus, come out!" Out came the dead man, his feet and hands swathed in bandages, and his face tied up with a towel. Jesus said, "Untie him, and let him move."

And when the sabbath had passed Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought some spices in order to go and anoint him; and very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb, after sunrise. They said to themselves, "Who will roll away the boulder for us at the opening of the tomb?" (for it was a very large boulder). read more.
But when they looked they saw the boulder had been rolled to one side, and on entering the tomb they saw a youth sitting on the right dressed in a white robe. They were bewildered, but he said to them, "Do not be bewildered. You are looking for Jesus of Nazaret, who was crucified? He has risen, he is not here. That is the place where he was laid. Go you and tell his disciples and Peter, 'He precedes you to Galilee; you shall see him there, as he told you.'" And they fled out of the tomb, for they were seized with terror and beside themselves. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid of ??. (a) Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala out of whom he had cast seven daemons. She went and reported it to those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept; but although they heard he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After this he appeared in another form to two of them as they were walking on their way to the country. They too went and reported it to the rest, but they would not believe them either. Afterwards he appeared at table to the eleven themselves and reproached them for their unbelief and dulness of mind, because they had not believed those who saw him risen from the dead. [But they excused themselves, saying, "This age of lawlessness and unbelief lies under the sway of Satan, who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God; therefore," they said to Christ, "reveal your righteousness now." Christ answered them, "The term of years for Satan's power has now expired, but other terrors are at hand. I was delivered to death on behalf of sinners, that they might return to the truth and sin no more, that they might inherit that glory of righteousness which is spiritual and imperishable in heaven."]

On the sabbath they rested in obedience to God's command, but on the first day of the week at early dawn they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. The boulder they found rolled away from the tomb, but when they went inside they could not find the body of the Lord Jesus. read more.
They were puzzling over this, when two men flashed on them in dazzling raiment. They were terrified and bent their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look among the dead for him who is alive? He is not here, he has risen. Remember how he told you when he was still in Galilee that the Son of man had to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and rise on the third day." Then they remembered what he had said, and turning away from the tomb they reported all this to the eleven and all the others. (It was Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James who with the rest of the women told this to the apostles.) But this story of the women seemed in their opinion to be nonsense; they would not believe them. Peter did get up and run to the tomb, but when he looked in he saw nothing except the linen bandages; so he went away home wondering what had happened. That very day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were conversing about all these events, and during their conversation and discussion Jesus himself approached and walked beside them, though they were prevented from recognizing him. He said to them, "What is all this you are debating on your walk?" They stopped, looking downcast, and one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, "Are you a lone stranger in Jerusalem, not to know what has been happening there?" "What is that?" he said to them. They replied, "All about Jesus of Nazaret! To God and all the people he was a prophet strong in action and utterance, but the high priests and our rulers delivered him up to be sentenced to death and crucified him. Our own hope was that he would be the redeemer of Israel; but he is dead, and that is three days ago! Though some women of our number gave us a surprise; they were at the tomb early in the morning and could not find his body, but they came to tell us they had actually seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our company did go to the tomb and found things exactly as the women had said, but they did not see him." He said to them, "O foolish men, with hearts so slow to believe, after all the prophets have declared! Had not the Christ to suffer thus and so enter his glory?" Then he began with Moses and all the prophets and interpreted to them the passages referring to himself throughout the scriptures. Now they approached the village to which they were going. He pretended to be going further on, but they pressed him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting towards evening and the day has now declined." So he went in to stay with them. And as he lay at table with them he took the loaf, blessed it, broke it and handed it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, "Did not our hearts glow within us when he was talking to us on the road, opening up the scriptures for us?" So they got up and returned that very hour to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven and their friends all gathered, who told them that the Lord had really risen and that he had appeared to Simon. Then they related their own experience on the road and how they had recognized him when he broke the loaf. Just as they were speaking He stood among them [and said to them, "Peace to you!"] They were scared and terrified, imagining it was a ghost they saw; but he said to them, "Why are you upset? Why do doubts invade your mind? Look at my hands and feet. It is I! Feel me and see; a ghost has not flesh and bones as you see I have." [With these words he showed them his hands and feet.] Even yet they could not believe it for sheer joy; they were lost in wonder. So he said to them, "Have you any food here?" And when they handed him a piece of broiled fish, he took and ate it in their presence. Then he said to them, "When I was still with you, this is what I told you, that whatever is written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. "Thus," he said, "it is written that the Christ has to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,


Then he said to them, "When I was still with you, this is what I told you, that whatever is written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. "Thus," he said, "it is written that the Christ has to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, read more.
and that repentance and the remission of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.


These twelve men Jesus despatched with the following instructions, "Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town, rather make your way to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, tell men, 'The Reign of heaven is near.'

And summoning the twelve he proceeded to send them out two by two; he gave them power over the unclean spirits, and ordered them to take nothing but a stick for the journey, no bread, no wallet, no coppers in their girdle; they were to wear sandals, but not to put on two shirts, he said. read more.
Also, he told them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there till you leave the place. And if any place will not receive you and the people will not listen to you, shake off the very dust under your feet when you leave, as a warning to them." So they went out and preached repentance;

(a) Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala out of whom he had cast seven daemons. She went and reported it to those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept; but although they heard he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. read more.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them as they were walking on their way to the country. They too went and reported it to the rest, but they would not believe them either. Afterwards he appeared at table to the eleven themselves and reproached them for their unbelief and dulness of mind, because they had not believed those who saw him risen from the dead. [But they excused themselves, saying, "This age of lawlessness and unbelief lies under the sway of Satan, who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God; therefore," they said to Christ, "reveal your righteousness now." Christ answered them, "The term of years for Satan's power has now expired, but other terrors are at hand. I was delivered to death on behalf of sinners, that they might return to the truth and sin no more, that they might inherit that glory of righteousness which is spiritual and imperishable in heaven."] And he said to them, "Go to all the world and preach the gospel to every creature:

Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; you go and spread the news of the Reign of God."

It is His will that they should understand the glorious wealth which this secret holds for the Gentiles, in the fact of Christ's presence among you as your hope of glory. This is the Christ we proclaim; we train everyone and teach everyone the full scope of this knowledge, in order to set everyone before God mature in Christ;

I adjure you to preach the word; keep at it in season and out of season, refuting, checking, and exhorting men; never lose patience with them, and never give up your teaching, for the time will come when people will decline to be taught sound doctrine and will accumulate teachers to suit themselves and tickle their own fancies;


(a) Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala out of whom he had cast seven daemons. She went and reported it to those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept; but although they heard he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. read more.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them as they were walking on their way to the country. They too went and reported it to the rest, but they would not believe them either. Afterwards he appeared at table to the eleven themselves and reproached them for their unbelief and dulness of mind, because they had not believed those who saw him risen from the dead. [But they excused themselves, saying, "This age of lawlessness and unbelief lies under the sway of Satan, who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God; therefore," they said to Christ, "reveal your righteousness now." Christ answered them, "The term of years for Satan's power has now expired, but other terrors are at hand. I was delivered to death on behalf of sinners, that they might return to the truth and sin no more, that they might inherit that glory of righteousness which is spiritual and imperishable in heaven."] And he said to them, "Go to all the world and preach the gospel to every creature:

when he enjoined us to preach to the People, testifying that this was he whom God has appointed to be judge of the living and of the dead. All the prophets testify that everyone who believes in him is to receive remission of sins through his Name."


After this he appeared in another form to two of them as they were walking on their way to the country. They too went and reported it to the rest, but they would not believe them either.

That very day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were conversing about all these events, and during their conversation and discussion Jesus himself approached and walked beside them, read more.
though they were prevented from recognizing him. He said to them, "What is all this you are debating on your walk?" They stopped, looking downcast, and one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, "Are you a lone stranger in Jerusalem, not to know what has been happening there?" "What is that?" he said to them. They replied, "All about Jesus of Nazaret! To God and all the people he was a prophet strong in action and utterance, but the high priests and our rulers delivered him up to be sentenced to death and crucified him. Our own hope was that he would be the redeemer of Israel; but he is dead, and that is three days ago! Though some women of our number gave us a surprise; they were at the tomb early in the morning and could not find his body, but they came to tell us they had actually seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our company did go to the tomb and found things exactly as the women had said, but they did not see him." He said to them, "O foolish men, with hearts so slow to believe, after all the prophets have declared! Had not the Christ to suffer thus and so enter his glory?" Then he began with Moses and all the prophets and interpreted to them the passages referring to himself throughout the scriptures. Now they approached the village to which they were going. He pretended to be going further on, but they pressed him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting towards evening and the day has now declined." So he went in to stay with them. And as he lay at table with them he took the loaf, blessed it, broke it and handed it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, "Did not our hearts glow within us when he was talking to us on the road, opening up the scriptures for us?" So they got up and returned that very hour to Jerusalem, where they found the eleven and their friends all gathered, who told them that the Lord had really risen and that he had appeared to Simon. Then they related their own experience on the road and how they had recognized him when he broke the loaf.