Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible





No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me. Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it.







Jesus sent these twelve out, after giving them these directions: "Do not go among the heathen, or to any Samaritan town, but proceed instead to the lost sheep of Israel's house. And as you go about, preach and say, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!' read more.
Cure the sick, raise the dead, heal lepers, drive out demons. Give without payment, just as you received without payment. Do not accept gold or silver or copper money to put in your pockets, and do not take a bag for your journey, nor two shirts, nor shoes, nor a staff, for the workman deserves his food! Whatever town or village you come to, inquire for some suitable person, and stay with him till you leave the place. And as you go into his house, wish it well. If the house deserves it, the peace you wish it will come over it, but if it does not deserve it, your blessing will come back upon yourselves. And where no one will welcome you, or listen to you, leave that house or town and shake off its very dust from your feet. I tell you, the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will fare better on the Day of Judgment than that town. "Here I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So you must be wise like serpents, and guileless like doves. But be on your guard against men, for they will give you up to their courts, and have you flogged in their synagogues, and you will be brought before governors and kings on my account, to bear your testimony before them and the heathen. But when they give you up, you must have no anxiety about how to speak or what to say, for you will be told at the very moment what you ought to say, for it is not you who will speak, it is the Spirit of your Father that will speak through you. One brother will give up another to death, and a father his child, and children will turn against their parents, and have them put to death. You will be hated by everybody on my account, but the man who holds out to the very end will be saved. But when they persecute you in one town, make your escape to another, for I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrives. A pupil is not better than his teacher, nor a slave better than his master. A pupil should be satisfied to come to be like his teacher, or a slave, to come to be like his master. If men have called the head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they give to the members of his household! So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing covered up that is not going to be uncovered, nor secret that is not going to be known. What I tell you in the dark you must say in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ear, you must proclaim from the housetops. Have no fear of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. You had better be afraid of one who can destroy both soul and body in the pit. Do not sparrows sell two for a cent? And yet not one of them can fall to the ground against your Father's will! But the very hairs on your heads are all counted. You must not be afraid; you are worth more than a great many sparrows! Therefore everyone who will acknowledge me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me. Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have the same reward as a prophet, and whoever welcomes an upright man because he is upright will have the same reward as an upright man. And no one who will give the humblest of my disciples even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, I tell you, can ever fail of his reward."

If any place refuses to receive you or to listen to you, when you leave it shake off the very dust from the soles of your feet as a warning to them." Verse ConceptsGesturesFeetHospitality, A Duty Of God's PeopleOpportunities, And SalvationWiping DustPeople Abandoning Peoplefatedustwelcome

After this the Master appointed seventy-two others, and sent them on before him, two by two, to every town or place to which he intended to come. And he said to them, "The harvest is abundant enough, but the reapers are few. So pray to the owner of the harvest to send reapers to gather it. Now go. Here I send you out like lambs among wolves. read more.
Carry no purse nor wallet nor shoes, and do not stop to exchange civilities with anyone on the way. Whenever you go to stay at a house, first say, 'Peace to this household!' If there is anyone there who loves peace, your blessing will rest upon him, but if there is not, it will come back to you. Stay at the same house, eating and drinking what they offer you, for the workman deserves his pay. Do not change from one house to another. Whenever you come to a town and they welcome you, eat what is offered you, and cure the sick there, and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is close upon you!' But whenever you come to a town and they do not welcome you, go out into the open streets and say, 'The very dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off in protest. But understand this: the Kingdom of God is at hand!' I tell you, on that Day Sodom will fare better than that town! Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the wonders that have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes! But Tyre and Sidon will fare better than you at the Judgment! And you, Capernaum! Are you to be exalted to the skies? You will go down among the dead! Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever disregards you disregards me, and whoever disregards me disregards him who sent me."

These are the instructions that I intrust to you, my son Timothy, and they are in accordance with the predictions made long ago about you. Fight the good fight with their aid, keeping hold of faith and a good conscience. For some people have let that go and have had their faith ruined, like Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I turned over to Satan, to be taught not to blaspheme.

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Never reprove an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger ones like sisters, with absolute purity. Look after widows who are really dependent. read more.
If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them learn first to show piety in the treatment of their own families, and to return the care of those who brought them up, for that is what God approves. But a woman who is really a widow, and has no children, has fixed her hope on God, and devotes herself to prayers and entreaties night and day. A widow who gives herself up to pleasure is dead while she is still alive. Insist upon these points, so that people may be irreproachable. Whoever fails to provide for his own relatives, and particularly for members of his own family, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. No one under sixty years of age should be put on the list of widows. A widow must have been married but once, and have a good reputation for Christian service, such as bringing up children, being hospitable to strangers, washing the feet of God's people, helping people in distress, or devoting herself to any form of doing good. Do not put young women on the list of widows, for when their youthful vigor comes between them and Christ, they want to marry, and become guilty of breaking their previous pledge. Besides, as they go about from house to house they learn to be idle, and not only idle but gossips and busybodies, and talk of things they ought not to mention. So I would have young women marry and have children and keep house and avoid giving our opponents any excuse for abusing us. For some widows have already turned aside to follow Satan. Any Christian woman who has widowed relatives should look after them, and relieve the church, so that it can look after widows who are really dependent. Elders who do their duties well should be considered as deserving twice as much as they get, particularly those who work at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "You must not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain," and the workman deserves his wages. Do not listen to an accusation made against an elder, unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. Those who are found guilty you must reprove publicly, as a warning to others. I charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels to observe these rules without any discrimination, and to be perfectly impartial. Never ordain anyone hastily; do not make yourself responsible for the sins of others; keep your life pure.

For this reason I would remind you to rekindle the divine gift that you received when I laid my hands upon you. For the Spirit God has given us is a spirit not of timidity but of power, love, and self-discipline. So you must not be ashamed to testify to our Lord, nor be ashamed of me who am in prison for his sake, but join with me in suffering for the good news, through the power of God. read more.
He saved us and called us to a consecrated life, not for anything we had done, but of his own accord and out of the mercy which he bestowed upon us ages ago through Christ Jesus, which has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior Christ Jesus. He has taken away the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the good news, of which I have been appointed a herald, apostle and teacher. This is why I am suffering as I am, but I am not ashamed of it, for I know whom I have trusted and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have intrusted to him for that Day. As your example in wholesome instruction, keep before you what you learned from me, in the faith and love that come through union with Christ Jesus.

I charge you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the message; be at it in season and out of season; convince, reprove, exhort people, with perfect patience and willingness to teach. For a time will come when they will not listen to wholesome instruction, but will overwhelm themselves with teachers to suit their whims and tickle their fancies, read more.
and they will turn from listening to the truth and wander off after fictions. But you must always be composed; do not shrink from hardship; do your work as a missionary, and your whole duty as a minister. My life is already being poured out, and the time has come for my departure. I have had a part in the great contest, I have run my race, I have preserved my faith. Now the crown of uprightness awaits me, which the Lord, the upright judge, will award me on that Day, and not only me but also all who have loved and hoped for his appearing.

But as they contradicted and abused him, he shook his clothes in protest, and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am not to blame for it! After this I will go to the heathen." Verse ConceptsGentiles, In NtConfrontationBlood, as symbol of guiltInsultsSpiritual Warfare, Causes OfAbuse, To God's PeopleRejection Of God's CallShakingName CallingThe Gentiles ConversionPreaching Gospel To ForeignersResponsibility For Blood ShedPeople Abandoning PeopleBlasphemy



And where no one will welcome you, or listen to you, leave that house or town and shake off its very dust from your feet. I tell you, the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will fare better on the Day of Judgment than that town. "Here I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So you must be wise like serpents, and guileless like doves. read more.
But be on your guard against men, for they will give you up to their courts, and have you flogged in their synagogues, and you will be brought before governors and kings on my account, to bear your testimony before them and the heathen. But when they give you up, you must have no anxiety about how to speak or what to say, for you will be told at the very moment what you ought to say, for it is not you who will speak, it is the Spirit of your Father that will speak through you. One brother will give up another to death, and a father his child, and children will turn against their parents, and have them put to death. You will be hated by everybody on my account, but the man who holds out to the very end will be saved. But when they persecute you in one town, make your escape to another, for I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrives. A pupil is not better than his teacher, nor a slave better than his master. A pupil should be satisfied to come to be like his teacher, or a slave, to come to be like his master. If men have called the head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they give to the members of his household! So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing covered up that is not going to be uncovered, nor secret that is not going to be known. What I tell you in the dark you must say in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ear, you must proclaim from the housetops. Have no fear of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. You had better be afraid of one who can destroy both soul and body in the pit. Do not sparrows sell two for a cent? And yet not one of them can fall to the ground against your Father's will! But the very hairs on your heads are all counted. You must not be afraid; you are worth more than a great many sparrows! Therefore everyone who will acknowledge me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me. Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me.

Therefore I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I have not shrunk from letting you know God's purpose without reserve.

Therefore everyone who will acknowledge me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. read more.
For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me,

There were great crowds accompanying him, and once he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me without hating his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and his very life too, he cannot be a disciple of mine. For no one who does not take up his own cross and come after me can be a disciple of mine. read more.
What man among you if he wishes to build a tower does not first sit down and estimate the cost of it, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Or else when he has laid his foundation and cannot finish the building, everyone who sees it will begin to ridicule him, and say, 'This man started to erect a building, and could not finish it!' Or what king, if he is going to meet another king in battle, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to meet the other who is coming against him with twenty thousand? And if he cannot, while the other is still far away, he sends envoys to him and asks on what terms he will make peace. In just that way, no one of you who does not say goodbye to all he has can be a disciple of mine.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, are you more devoted to me than these others are?" Peter said to him, "Yes, Master, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my lambs!" Again Jesus said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, are you devoted to me?" He said to him, "Yes, Master, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Then be a shepherd to my sheep!" Jesus said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because the third time Jesus asked him if he loved him, and he answered, "Master, you know everything, you can see that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my sheep! read more.
I tell you, when you were young, you used to put on your own girdle and go where you pleased, but when you grow old, you will stretch our your hands and someone else will put a girdle on you and take you where you have no wish to go" He said this to show the kind of death by which Peter was to honor God; and after he had said it he said to Peter, "Follow me!"


Therefore everyone who will acknowledge me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. read more.
For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me. Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it.

"If anyone comes to me without hating his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and his very life too, he cannot be a disciple of mine. For no one who does not take up his own cross and come after me can be a disciple of mine.


Therefore everyone who will acknowledge me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. read more.
For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me,

There were great crowds accompanying him, and once he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me without hating his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and his very life too, he cannot be a disciple of mine. For no one who does not take up his own cross and come after me can be a disciple of mine. read more.
What man among you if he wishes to build a tower does not first sit down and estimate the cost of it, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Or else when he has laid his foundation and cannot finish the building, everyone who sees it will begin to ridicule him, and say, 'This man started to erect a building, and could not finish it!' Or what king, if he is going to meet another king in battle, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to meet the other who is coming against him with twenty thousand? And if he cannot, while the other is still far away, he sends envoys to him and asks on what terms he will make peace. In just that way, no one of you who does not say goodbye to all he has can be a disciple of mine.


but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, read more.
and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me,



A discussion arose among them as to which of them would be the greatest. But Jesus knew the question that was in their minds and he took a child and made him stand by his side, and said to them, "Whoever welcomes this child on my account is welcoming me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes him who has sent me. For it is the lowliest among you all who is really great."

but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, read more.
and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me. Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have the same reward as a prophet, and whoever welcomes an upright man because he is upright will have the same reward as an upright man.

Just at that time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, "Who is really greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" He called a child to him and had him stand among them, and he said, "I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven at all. read more.
Anyone, therefore, who is as unassuming as this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, and anyone who welcomes one child like this on my account welcomes me.

And he sat down and called the Twelve in, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all." And he took a child and made him stand among them, and he put his arms around him, and said to them, "Whoever welcomes one child like this on my account is welcoming me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but him who has sent me." read more.
John said to him, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons with your name, and we told him not to do so, for he was not one of our followers." But Jesus said, "Do not tell him not to do so, for there is no one who will use my name to do a mighty act, and be able soon after to abuse me.

Jesus said to him, "Anyone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed to be altogether clean. And you are already clean??hough not all of you." For he knew who was going to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all of you clean." When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes and taken his place, he said to them again, "Do you understand what I have been doing to you? read more.
You call me Teacher and Master, and you are right, for that is what I am. If I then, your Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet too. For I have set you an example, in order that you may do what I have done to you. I tell you, no slave is superior to his master, and no messenger is greater than the man who sends him. Now that you have this knowledge, you will be blessed if you act upon it. I do not mean all of you; I know whom I have chosen; but let the Scripture be fulfilled: " 'He who is eating my bread Has raised his heel against me.' From now on I will tell you things before they happen, so that when they do happen you may believe that I am what I say. I assure you, whoever welcomes any messenger of mine welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me."

A discussion arose among them as to which of them would be the greatest. But Jesus knew the question that was in their minds and he took a child and made him stand by his side, and said to them, "Whoever welcomes this child on my account is welcoming me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes him who has sent me. For it is the lowliest among you all who is really great."

In the beginning the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was divine. It was he that was with God in the beginning. Everything came into existence through him, and apart from him nothing came to be. read more.
It was by him that life came into existence, and that life was the light of mankind. The light is still shining in the darkness, for the darkness has never put it out. There appeared a man by the name of John, with a message from God. He came to give testimony, to testify to the light, so that everyone might come to believe in it through him. He was not the light; he came to testify to the light. The real light, which sheds light upon everyone, was just coming into the world. He came into the world, and though the world came into existence through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to his home, and his own family did not welcome him. But to all who did receive him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God, owing their birth not to nature nor to any human or physical impulse, but to God.

but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, read more.
and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me. Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have the same reward as a prophet, and whoever welcomes an upright man because he is upright will have the same reward as an upright man.

Jesus said to him, "Anyone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed to be altogether clean. And you are already clean??hough not all of you." For he knew who was going to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all of you clean." When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes and taken his place, he said to them again, "Do you understand what I have been doing to you? read more.
You call me Teacher and Master, and you are right, for that is what I am. If I then, your Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet too. For I have set you an example, in order that you may do what I have done to you. I tell you, no slave is superior to his master, and no messenger is greater than the man who sends him. Now that you have this knowledge, you will be blessed if you act upon it. I do not mean all of you; I know whom I have chosen; but let the Scripture be fulfilled: " 'He who is eating my bread Has raised his heel against me.' From now on I will tell you things before they happen, so that when they do happen you may believe that I am what I say. I assure you, whoever welcomes any messenger of mine welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me."

"Whoever welcomes one child like this on my account is welcoming me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but him who has sent me." John said to him, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons with your name, and we told him not to do so, for he was not one of our followers." But Jesus said, "Do not tell him not to do so, for there is no one who will use my name to do a mighty act, and be able soon after to abuse me.

but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, read more.
and a man's enemies will be in his own household. No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me. Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will have the same reward as a prophet, and whoever welcomes an upright man because he is upright will have the same reward as an upright man.

Jesus said to him, "Anyone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed to be altogether clean. And you are already clean??hough not all of you." For he knew who was going to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all of you clean." When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes and taken his place, he said to them again, "Do you understand what I have been doing to you? read more.
You call me Teacher and Master, and you are right, for that is what I am. If I then, your Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet too. For I have set you an example, in order that you may do what I have done to you. I tell you, no slave is superior to his master, and no messenger is greater than the man who sends him. Now that you have this knowledge, you will be blessed if you act upon it. I do not mean all of you; I know whom I have chosen; but let the Scripture be fulfilled: " 'He who is eating my bread Has raised his heel against me.' From now on I will tell you things before they happen, so that when they do happen you may believe that I am what I say. I assure you, whoever welcomes any messenger of mine welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who has sent me."

No one who loves father or mother more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who loves son or daughter more than he loves me is worthy of me, and no one who will not take up his cross and follow me is worthy of me.