Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me. He who is not against us is for us.

John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours." Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; he who is not against you is for you."


(for all of you who had yourselves baptized into Christ have taken on the character of Christ). There is no room for Jew or Greek, there is no room for slave or freeman, there is no room for male and female; you are all one in Christ Jesus.

John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours." Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; he who is not against you is for you."

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me. He who is not against us is for us. read more.
Whoever gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you truly, he shall not miss his reward.

Well then, if God has given them exactly the same gift as he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I ??how could I try to thwart God?" On hearing this they desisted and glorified God, saying, "So God has actually allowed the Gentiles to repent and live!"

But certain individuals came down from Jerusalem and taught the brothers that "unless you get circumcised after the custom of Moses you cannot be saved." As a sharp dispute and controversy sprang up between them and Paul and Barnabas, it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas, along with some others of their number, should go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem about this question. The church sped them on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Syria informing the brothers, to the great joy of all, that the Gentiles were turning to God. read more.
On arriving at Jerusalem they were received by the church, the apostles and the presbyters, and they reported how God had been with them and what he had done. But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisaic party got up and said, "Gentiles must be circumcised and told to observe the law of Moses." The apostles and the presbyters met to investigate this question, and a keen controversy sprang up; but Peter rose and said to them, "Brothers, you are well aware that from the earliest days God chose that of you all I should be the one by whom the Gentiles were to hear the word of the gospel and believe it. The God who reads the hearts of all attested this by giving them the holy Spirit just as he gave it to us; in cleansing their hearts by faith he made not the slightest distinction between us and them. Well now, why are you trying to impose a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we ourselves could bear? No, it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we believe and are saved, in the same way as they are." So the whole meeting was quieted and listened to Barnabas and Paul recounting the signs and wonders God had performed by them among the Gentiles. When they had finished speaking, James spoke. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me. Symeon has explained how it was God's original concern to secure a People from among the Gentiles to bear his Name. This agrees with the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent, its ruins I will rebuild and erect it anew, that the rest of men may seek for the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, saith the Lord, who makes this known from of old. Hence, in my opinion, we ought not to put fresh difficulties in the way of those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but write them injunctions to abstain from whatever is contaminated by idols, from sexual vice, from the flesh of animals that have been strangled, and from tasting blood; for Moses has had his preachers from the earliest ages in every town, where he is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath." Then the apostles and the presbyters, together with the whole church, decided to select some of their number and send them with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. The men selected were Judas (called Bar-Sabbas) and Silas, prominent members of the brotherhood. They conveyed the following letter. "The apostles and the presbyters of the brotherhood to the brothers who belong to the Gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: greeting. Having learned that some of our number, quite unauthorized by us, have unsettled you with their teaching and upset your souls, we have decided unanimously to select some of our number and send them to you along with our beloved Paul and Barnabas who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We therefore send Judas and Silas with the following message, which they will also give to you orally. The holy Spirit and we have decided not to impose any extra burden on you, apart from these essential requirements: abstain from food that has been offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the flesh of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual vice. Keep clear of all this and you will prosper. Goodbye." When the messengers were despatched, they went down to Antioch and after gathering the whole body they handed them the letter. On reading it the people rejoiced at the encouragement it brought;

PAUL, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God (which he promised of old by his prophets in the holy scriptures) concerning his Son, who was born of David's offspring by natural descent read more.
and installed as Son of God with power by the Spirit of holiness when he was raised from the dead ??concerning Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom I have received the favour of my commission to promote obedience to the faith for his sake among all the Gentiles, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ: to all in Rome who are beloved by God, called to be saints, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

To Greeks and to barbarians, to wise and to foolish alike, I owe a duty. Hence my eagerness to preach the gospel to you in Rome as well. For I am proud of the gospel; it is God's saving power for everyone who has faith, for the Jew first and for the Greek as well.

for no person will be acquitted in his sight on the score of obedience to law. What the Law imparts is the consciousness of sin. But now we have a righteousness of God disclosed apart from law altogether; it is attested by the Law and the prophets, but it is a righteousness of God which comes by believing in Jesus Christ. And it is meant for all who have faith. No distinctions are drawn. read more.
All have sinned, all come short of the glory of God, but they are justified for nothing by his grace through the ransom provided in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as the means of propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to demonstrate the justice of God in view of the fact that sins previously committed during the time of God's forbearance had been passed over; it was to demonstrate his justice at the present epoch, showing that God is just himself and that he justifies man on the score of faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is ruled out absolutely. On what principle? On the principle of doing deeds? No, on the principle of faith. We hold a man is justified by faith apart from deeds of the Law altogether. Or is God only the God of Jews? Is he not the God of the Gentiles as well? Surely he is. Well then, there is one God, a God who will justify the circumcised as they believe and the uncircumcised on the score of faith. Then 'by this faith' we 'cancel the Law'? Not for one moment! We uphold the Law.

As we are justified by faith, then, let us enjoy the peace we have with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have got access to this grace where we have our standing, and triumph in the hope of God's glory.

For he is our peace, he who has made both of us a unity and destroyed the barrier which kept us apart; in his own flesh he put an end to the feud of the Law with its code of commands, so as to make peace by the creation of a new Man in himself out of both parties, so as himself to give the death-blow to that feud by reconciling them both to God in one Body through the cross; read more.
he came with a gospel of peace for those far away (that is, for you) and for those who were near,

In it there is no room for Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free man; Christ is everything and everywhere. As God's own chosen, then, as consecrated and beloved, be clothed with compassion, kindliness, humility, gentleness, and good temper ??13 forbear and forgive each other in any case of complaint; as Christ forgave you, so must you forgive. And above all you must be loving, for love is the link of the perfect life. read more.
Also, let the peace of Christ be supreme within your hearts ??that is why you have been called as members of the one Body. And you must be thankful.



John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him."


John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours."

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me.


Then they reached Capharnahum. And when he was indoors he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" They said nothing, for on the road they had been disputing about which of them was the greatest. So he sat down and called the twelve. "If anyone wants to be first," he said to them, "he must be last of all and the servant of all." read more.
Then he took a little child, set it among them, and putting his arms round it said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little ones in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives not me but him who sent me." John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me. He who is not against us is for us. Whoever gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you truly, he shall not miss his reward. And whoever is a hindrance to one of these little ones who believe, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung round his neck and be thrown into the sea. If your hand is a hindrance to you, cut it off: better be maimed and get into Life, than keep your two hands and go to Gehenna, to the fire that is never quenched. -- If your foot is a hindrance to you, cut it off: better get into Life a cripple, than keep your two feet and be thrown into Gehenna. -- If your eye is a hindrance to you, tear it out: better get into God's Realm with one eye, than keep your two eyes and be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm never dies and the fire is never put out. Everyone has to be consecrated by the fire of the discipline. Salt is excellent: but if salt is tasteless, how are you to restore its flavour? Let there be 'salt between you'; be at peace with one another."

A dispute arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew the dispute that occupied their minds, so he took hold of a little child and set it by his side; then he said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For it is the lowliest of you all who is great." read more.
John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours." Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; he who is not against you is for you."


John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours." Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; he who is not against you is for you."

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me.


John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours." Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; he who is not against you is for you."

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him."

So when the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, will you have us bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and checked them. Then they journeyed to another village.


John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him."



John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours."

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him."

And for those who believe, these miracles will follow: they will cast out daemons in my name, they will talk in foreign tongues, they will handle serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and make them well." Then after speaking to them the Lord Jesus was taken up to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God,


At that hour the disciples came and asked Jesus, "Who is greatest in the Realm of heaven?" So he called a child, set it among them, and said, "I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of heaven at all. read more.
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Realm of heaven; and whoever receives a little child like this for my sake, receives me. But whoever is a hindrance to one of these little ones who believe in me, better for him to have a great mill-stone hung round his neck and be sunk in the deep sea.

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me. He who is not against us is for us. read more.
Whoever gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you truly, he shall not miss his reward. And whoever is a hindrance to one of these little ones who believe, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung round his neck and be thrown into the sea.

To his disciples he said, "It is inevitable that hindrances should come, but woe to the man by whom they come; it would be well for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and be flung into the sea, rather than prove a hindrance to one of these little ones!


John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours." Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; he who is not against you is for you."

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me. He who is not against us is for us. read more.
Whoever gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you truly, he shall not miss his reward.


A dispute arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew the dispute that occupied their minds, so he took hold of a little child and set it by his side; then he said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For it is the lowliest of you all who is great."

and whoever will disown me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. Do not imagine I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; read more.
yes, a man's own household will be his enemies. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me: he who will not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives Him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward; he who receives a good man because he is good, will receive a good man's reward.

At that hour the disciples came and asked Jesus, "Who is greatest in the Realm of heaven?" So he called a child, set it among them, and said, "I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of heaven at all. read more.
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Realm of heaven; and whoever receives a little child like this for my sake, receives me.

So he sat down and called the twelve. "If anyone wants to be first," he said to them, "he must be last of all and the servant of all." Then he took a little child, set it among them, and putting his arms round it said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little ones in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives not me but him who sent me." read more.
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me.

Jesus said, "He who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed; he is clean all over. And you are clean ??but not all of you" (he knew the traitor; that was why he said, "You are not all clean"). Then, after washing their feet and putting on his robe, he lay down again. "Do you know," he said to them, "what I have been doing to you? read more.
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right: that is what I am. Well, if I have washed your feet, I who am your Lord and Teacher, you are bound to wash one another's feet; for I have been setting you an example, that you should do what I have done to you. Truly, truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than he who sent him. If you know all this, blessed are you if you really do it. When I say 'you,' I do not mean you all; I know the men of my choice, and I made my choice that this scripture might be fulfilled, he who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me. I am telling you this now, before it occurs, so that when it has occurred you may believe who I am. (Truly, truly I tell you, he who receives anyone I send receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.)"


A dispute arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew the dispute that occupied their minds, so he took hold of a little child and set it by his side; then he said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For it is the lowliest of you all who is great."

THE Logos existed in the very beginning, the Logos was with God, the Logos was divine. He was with God in the very beginning: through him all existence came into being, no existence came into being apart from him. read more.
In him life lay, and this life was the Light for men: amid the darkness the Light shone, but the darkness did not master it. A man appeared, sent by God, whose name was John: he came for the purpose of witnessing, to bear testimony to the Light, so that all men might believe by means of him. He was not the Light; it was to bear testimony to the Light that he appeared. The real Light, which enlightens every man, was coming then into the world: he entered the world ??the world which existed through him ??yet the world did not recognize him; he came to what was his own, yet his own folk did not welcome him. On those who have accepted him, however, he has conferred the right of being children of God, that is, on those who believe in his Name, who owe this birth of theirs to God, not to human blood, nor to any impulse of the flesh or of man.

and whoever will disown me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. Do not imagine I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; read more.
yes, a man's own household will be his enemies. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me: he who will not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives Him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward; he who receives a good man because he is good, will receive a good man's reward.

Jesus said, "He who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed; he is clean all over. And you are clean ??but not all of you" (he knew the traitor; that was why he said, "You are not all clean"). Then, after washing their feet and putting on his robe, he lay down again. "Do you know," he said to them, "what I have been doing to you? read more.
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right: that is what I am. Well, if I have washed your feet, I who am your Lord and Teacher, you are bound to wash one another's feet; for I have been setting you an example, that you should do what I have done to you. Truly, truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than he who sent him. If you know all this, blessed are you if you really do it. When I say 'you,' I do not mean you all; I know the men of my choice, and I made my choice that this scripture might be fulfilled, he who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me. I am telling you this now, before it occurs, so that when it has occurred you may believe who I am. (Truly, truly I tell you, he who receives anyone I send receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.)"

"Whoever receives one of these little ones in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives not me but him who sent me." John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me.


A dispute arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew the dispute that occupied their minds, so he took hold of a little child and set it by his side; then he said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For it is the lowliest of you all who is great."

At that hour the disciples came and asked Jesus, "Who is greatest in the Realm of heaven?" So he called a child, set it among them, and said, "I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of heaven at all. read more.
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Realm of heaven; and whoever receives a little child like this for my sake, receives me.

So he sat down and called the twelve. "If anyone wants to be first," he said to them, "he must be last of all and the servant of all." Then he took a little child, set it among them, and putting his arms round it said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little ones in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives not me but him who sent me." read more.
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me.


John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name; but he does not follow us, and so we stopped him." Jesus said, "Do not stop him; no one who performs any miracle in my name will be ready to speak evil of me. He who is not against us is for us.

John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours." Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him; he who is not against you is for you."


But if someone tells you, 'This was sacrificial meat,' then do not eat it; you must consider the man who told you, and also take conscience into account ??29 his conscience, I mean, not your own; for why should one's own freedom be called in question by someone else's conscience? If one partakes of food after saying a blessing over it, why should one be denounced for eating what one has given thanks to God for? So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, let it be all done for the glory of God. read more.
Put no stumbling-block in the way of Jews or Greeks or the church of God.