Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



When anyone hears the word about the kingdom yet doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on the stony ground, this is the person who hears the word and accepts it joyfully at once, but since he doesn't have any root in himself, he lasts for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls away. read more.
As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can't produce a crop.

Some people are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. When they hear it, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others are like the seeds sown on the stony ground. When they hear the word, at once they joyfully accept it, but since they don't have any roots, they last for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, they immediately fall away. read more.
Still others are like the seeds sown among the thorn bushes. These are the people who hear the word, but the worries of life, the deceitful pleasures of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word so that it can't produce a crop.


For there are many people who are rebellious, especially those who are converts from Judaism. They speak utter nonsense and deceive people. They must be silenced, because they are the kind of people who ruin whole families by teaching what they should not teach in order to make money in a shameful way. One of their very own prophets said, "Liars ever, men of Crete, savage brutes that live to eat." read more.
That statement is true. For this reason, refute them sharply so that they may become healthy in the faith and not pay attention to Jewish myths or commands given by people who reject the truth. Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and unbelieving. Indeed, their very way of thinking and their consciences have been corrupted. They claim to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good.

"Now as for you, Son of Man, your nation's children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, "Please come! Let's go hear what the LORD has to say!' Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words and then they don't do what you say because they're seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests. As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They'll listen to what you have to say, but they won't put it into practice!

He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." read more.
Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition!

The ones on the path are the people who listen, but then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the stony ground are the people who joyfully welcome the word when they hear it. But since they don't have any roots, they believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away. The ones that fell among the thorn bushes are the people who listen, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, wealth, and pleasures of life, and their fruit doesn't mature.

Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Then my Father will love him, and we will go to him and make our home within him. The one who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The words that you're hearing me say are not mine, but come from the Father who sent me.


Then the Lord said: "Because these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, worship of me has become merely like rules taught by human beings. Therefore, watch out! "As for me, I will once again do amazing things with this people, wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the insights of their discerning men will stay hidden."

He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." read more.
Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that."


Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, "Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat." But he answered them, "Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition? read more.
Because God said, "You are to honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "Whoever tells his father or his mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God," does not have to honor his father.' Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded the authority of God's word. You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.'" Then calling out to the crowd, he addressed them, "Listen and understand! It is not what goes into the mouth that makes a person unclean. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean." Then the disciples came and asked him, "Do you realize that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If one blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into a ditch." Then Peter told him, "Explain to us this parable." Jesus said, "Are you still so ignorant? Don't you know that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and then is expelled as waste? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is those things that make a person unclean. It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, false testimony, and slander. These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating with unwashed hands doesn't make a person unclean."

They noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. (The Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders. They don't eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the proper washing of washing cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.) read more.
So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with unclean hands." He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that." Then he called to the crowd again and told them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand! Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It's what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!" When he had left the crowd and gone home, his disciples began asking him about the parable. He asked them, "Are you so ignorant? Don't you know that nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean? Because it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then into the sewer, thereby expelling all foods." Then he continued, "It's what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean, because it's from within, from the human heart, that evil thoughts come, as well as sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, cheating, shameless lust, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these things come from inside and make a person unclean."



"Now as for you, Son of Man, your nation's children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, "Please come! Let's go hear what the LORD has to say!' Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words and then they don't do what you say because they're seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests. As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They'll listen to what you have to say, but they won't put it into practice!

He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." read more.
Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that."

The godless at heart cherish anger; they won't cry out for help when God afflicts them. They die in their youth; and their life will end among temple prostitutes.



He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." read more.
Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that."


Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, "Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat." But he answered them, "Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition? read more.
Because God said, "You are to honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "Whoever tells his father or his mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God," does not have to honor his father.' Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded the authority of God's word. You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.'" Then calling out to the crowd, he addressed them, "Listen and understand! It is not what goes into the mouth that makes a person unclean. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean." Then the disciples came and asked him, "Do you realize that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?" He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If one blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into a ditch." Then Peter told him, "Explain to us this parable." Jesus said, "Are you still so ignorant? Don't you know that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and then is expelled as waste? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is those things that make a person unclean. It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, false testimony, and slander. These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating with unwashed hands doesn't make a person unclean."

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. (The Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders. read more.
They don't eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the proper washing of washing cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with unclean hands." He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that." Then he called to the crowd again and told them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand! Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It's what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!" When he had left the crowd and gone home, his disciples began asking him about the parable. He asked them, "Are you so ignorant? Don't you know that nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean? Because it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then into the sewer, thereby expelling all foods." Then he continued, "It's what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean, because it's from within, from the human heart, that evil thoughts come, as well as sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, cheating, shameless lust, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these things come from inside and make a person unclean."


Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, "Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat." But he answered them, "Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition?

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. (The Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders. read more.
They don't eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the proper washing of washing cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with unclean hands." He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that." Then he called to the crowd again and told them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand! Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It's what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean.


(The Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders.

I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries, because I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with unclean hands." He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' read more.
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."


"Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat."

They noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. (The Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders. They don't eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the proper washing of washing cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.) read more.
So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with unclean hands."

You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition!

The Pharisee was surprised to see that he didn't first wash before the meal.


Then the Lord said: "Because these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, worship of me has become merely like rules taught by human beings. Therefore, watch out! "As for me, I will once again do amazing things with this people, wonder upon wonder. The wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the insights of their discerning men will stay hidden."

He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." read more.
Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that."



For you know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you have been ransomed from the worthless way of life handed down to you by your ancestors,

At that time, Jesus walked through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples became hungry and began picking heads of grain to eat. When the Pharisees saw this, they told him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" But he told them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? read more.
How is it that he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him and his companions to eat but was reserved for the priests? Or haven't you read in the Law that on every Sabbath the priests in the Temple violate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? But I tell you, something greater than the Temple is here! If you had known what "I want mercy and not sacrifice' means, you would not have condemned the innocent, for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

"Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat." But he answered them, "Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition? Because God said, "You are to honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.' read more.
But you say, "Whoever tells his father or his mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God," does not have to honor his father.' Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded the authority of God's word.

(The Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders. They don't eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the proper washing of washing cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with unclean hands." read more.
He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition!

One time Jesus was walking through some grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what isn't lawful on Sabbath days?" Jesus answered them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions became hungry? read more.
How was it that he went into the house of God, took the Bread of the Presence and ate it, which was not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat, and then gave some of it to his companions?" Then he told them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Once, on another Sabbath, Jesus went into a synagogue and began teaching. A man whose right hand was paralyzed was there. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, in order to find a way of accusing him of doing something wrong. But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Get up, and stand in the middle of the synagogue." So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus asked them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?" He looked around at all of them and then told the man, "Hold out your hand." The man did so, and his hand was restored to health. The others were furious and began to discuss with each other what they could do to Jesus.



He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." read more.
Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that."



"Now as for you, Son of Man, your nation's children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, "Please come! Let's go hear what the LORD has to say!' Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words and then they don't do what you say because they're seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests. As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They'll listen to what you have to say, but they won't put it into practice!

He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.' You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." read more.
Then he told them, "You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! Because Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother,' and, "Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.' But you say, "If anyone tells his father or mother, "Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,"' (that is, an offering to God) "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.' You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that."