Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Distress and pressure terrify him; they overwhelm him, like a king poised for attack.

For if we choose to go on sinning after we have learned the full truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

King Herod heard about this, because Jesus' name had become well-known. He was saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead! That's why he is able to do these miracles."

Then Judas, who had betrayed him, regretted what had happened when he saw that Jesus was condemned. He brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the high priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they replied, "What do we care? Attend to that yourself." Then he flung the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, went outside, ran away, and hanged himself.



When they heard this, they went away one by one, beginning with the oldest, and he was left alone with the woman standing there.

Terrifying sounds ring in his ears; when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack him.

Have mercy, God, according to your gracious love, according to your unlimited compassion, erase my transgressions. Wash me from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgression; my sin remains continuously before me. read more.
Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what was evil in your sight. As a result, you are just in your pronouncement and clear in your judgment.

Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me know joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your countenance from my sins and erase the record of my iniquities. read more.
God, create a pure heart in me, and renew a right attitude within me. Do not cast me from your presence; do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and let a willing attitude control me. Then I will teach transgressors about your ways, and sinners will turn to you. Deliver me from the guilt of shedding blood, God, God of my salvation. Then my tongue will sing about your righteousness.

When I chose to be bitter I was emotionally pained.

"So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We wait for light, but look there is darkness; we wait for brightness, but we walk in deep darkness. Let's grope along the wall like the blind; let us grope like those who have no eyes. We stumble at midday as if it were twilight, in desolate places like dead people. We all growl like bears; we sigh mournfully like doves. We look for justice, but there is none, and for deliverance, but it's far from us. read more.
"For our transgressions before you are many, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we acknowledge them: they've rebelled in treachery against the LORD, and are turning away from following our God; and they've spoken oppression and revolt, and are conceiving lying words from the heart. I'll drive back justice, and righteousness stands at a distance; for truth has fallen in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.

At that time Herod the tetrarch, hearing about the fame of Jesus, told his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and that's why these miracles are being done by him."

But when Herod heard about it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised,"






When I chose to be bitter I was emotionally pained.




When I chose to be bitter I was emotionally pained.



Don't be angry because of those who do evil, do not be jealous because of those who commit iniquity.

The tents of robbers are at rest, and those who provoke God are secure, that is, those who carry their god in their pocket.

Terrifying sounds ring in his ears; when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack him.

The wicked triumph only briefly; the joy of the godless is momentary.

Even though a sinner does what is wrong a hundred times and still survives, nevertheless I also know that things will go well for those who fear God, who fear in his presence. But things will not go well for the wicked person: he will not lengthen his life like a shadow, since he has no fear before God.

I once observed a wicked and oppressive person, flourishing like a green tree in native soil. But then he passed away; in fact, he simply was not there. When I looked for him, he could not be found.


Why are you forcing me to look at iniquity and to stare at wickedness? Social havoc and oppression are all around me; there are legal conflicts, and disputes abound. Therefore, the Law has become paralyzed, and justice never comes about. Because criminals outnumber the righteous, whenever judgments are issued, they come out crooked."

"I myself saw a fool becoming established, but I suddenly cursed where he lived. His children are far from deliverance; they'll be maltreated before they leave home, with no one to rescue them. Then the hungry will devour his harvest, snatching it even from the midst of thorns, while the thirsty covet their wealth.


Though he covered his face with fat, and is grossly overweight at the waist,

"He won't become rich and his wealth won't last; he won't expand his holdings to cover the land.

Even though he is satiated and self-sufficient, he suffers everyone in any sort of trouble will attack him.

"Why do the wicked live to reach old age and increase in power and wealth, too? Their children grow up while they're alive, and they live to see their grandchildren. Their houses are safe from fear, and God's chastisement never visits them. read more.
Their bull breeds without fail, and their cows calve without miscarriages. They release their children to play like sheep; their young ones dance about, singing with tambourines and lyres as they rejoice to the sound of flutes. They grow old in prosperity, as they descend peacefully into the afterlife.

Indeed, he will see wise people die; the stupid and the senseless will meet their doom and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thoughts are on their homes forever; their dwellings from generation to generation. They even name their lands after themselves. But humanity cannot last, despite its conceit; it will pass away just like the animals. read more.
This is the fate of those who are foolish and of those who correct their words after they speak. Interlude Like sheep, they are destined for the realm of the dead, with death as their shepherd. The upright will have dominion over them in the morning; their strength will be consumed in the afterlife, so that they have no home. God will truly redeem me from the power of Sheol. He will surely receive me! Interlude

For I was envious of the proud when I observed the prosperity of the wicked. For there is no struggle at their deaths, and their bodies are healthy. They do not experience problems common to ordinary people; they aren't afflicted as others are. read more.
Therefore pride is their necklace and violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge from obesity and the imaginations of their mind cross the border into sin. In their mockery they speak evil; from their arrogant position they speak oppression. They choose to speak against heaven; while they talk about things on earth. Therefore God's people return there and drink it all in like water until they're satiated. Then they say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" Just look at these wicked people! They're perpetually carefree as they increase their wealth. I kept my heart pure for nothing and kept my hands clean from guilt. For I suffer all day long and I am punished every morning. If I say, "I will talk like this," I would betray a generation of your children. When I tried to understand this, it was too difficult for me until I entered the sanctuaries of God. Then I understood their destiny. You have certainly set them in slippery places; you will make them fall to their ruin. How desolate they quickly become, completely destroyed by calamities. Like a dream when one awakens, Lord, you will despise their image when you arise. When I chose to be bitter I was emotionally pained. Then, I was too stupid and didn't realize I was acting like a wild animal with you.

A stupid man doesn't know, and a fool can't comprehend this: Though the wicked sprout like grass; and all who practice iniquity flourish, it is they who will be eternally destroyed.

You are righteous, LORD, even when I bring a complaint to you. But I want to discuss justice with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper, while all who are treacherous are at ease? You plant them and they take root, they grow and bear fruit. "You are near to us," they say with their mouths, but the truth is that you're far from their hearts.

Your eyes are too pure to gaze upon evil; and you cannot tolerate wickedness. So why do you tolerate the treacherous? And why do you stay silent while the wicked devour those who are more righteous than they are? "You have fashioned mankind like fish in the ocean, like creeping things that have no ruler. The adversary captures them with a hook, gathering them up in a fishing net. He collects them with a dragnet, rejoicing and gloating over his catch. read more.
Therefore he sacrifices to his fishing net, and burns incense in the presence of his dragnet, because by them his assets increase and he gets plenty of food. Is he to continue to empty his fishing net? Will he ever stop killing entire nations without mercy?"