Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: " 'The Amen, the true and faithful witness, the origin of God's creation, speaks thus: I know what you are doing, and that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot! As it is, since you are tepid and neither cold nor hot, I am going to spit you out of my mouth! read more.
Because you say, "I am rich, I have become wealthy, I need nothing," and you do not know that it is you that are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy of me gold that has been tested with fire, so that you may be rich, and white clothes to put on, to keep your shameful nakedness from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, to make you see. I reprove and discipline all whom I love. So be earnest and repent. Here I stand knocking at the door. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will be his guest and dine with him, and he with me. I will permit him who is victorious to take his seat beside me on my throne, just as I have been victorious and taken my seat beside my Father on his throne.

For that reason I am ready to submit to anything for the sake of those whom God has chosen, so that they too may gain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory. How true those words are! "If we have died with him, we will live with him! If we endure, we will reign with him! If we disown him, he will also disown us!


For the Son of Man is going his way, as it has been decreed, but alas for the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!" And they began to discuss with one another which of them it was who was going to do this. A dispute also arose among them, as to which one of them ought to be considered the greatest. read more.
But he said to them, "The kings of the heathen lord it over them, and their authorities are given the title of Benefactor. But you are not to do so, but whoever is greatest among you must be like the youngest, and the leader like a servant. For which is greater, the man at the table, or the servant who waits on him? Is not the man at the table? Yet I am like a servant among you. But it is you who have stood by me in my trials. So just as my Father has conferred a kingdom on me I confer on you the right to eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and to sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel!

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: " 'The Son of God, whose eyes blaze like fire, and whose feet are like bronze, speaks thus: I know the things you do, your love and faithfulness and helpfulness and endurance, and I know that you are now doing more than you did at first. But I hold it against you that you tolerate that Jezebel of a woman who claims to be inspired and who is misleading my slaves and teaching them to practice immorality and to eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols. read more.
I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her immorality. See! I am going to lay her on a sick bed, and to bring great distress upon those who share her immorality, unless they repent of her practices, and I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches men's hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you for what you have done. But to the rest of you at Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching and have not learned the "deep things" of Satan, as they call them??o you I say, I have no fresh burden to lay on you, but keep hold of what you have, until I come. To him who is victorious and continues to the end to do the things that please me, I will give authority over the heathen??27 just such authority as I received from my Father; he will shepherd them with an iron staff and shatter them like earthen jars!??28 and I will give him the morning star.

When he took the roll, the four animals and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each with a harp and gold bowls full of incense, that is, of the prayers of God's people. Then they sang a new song: "You deserve to take the roll and open its seals, for you have been slaughtered, and with your blood have bought for God men from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, and have made them a kingdom of priests for our God, and they are to reign over the earth."

Then I saw thrones with beings seated on them, who were empowered to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and the message of God, who refused to worship the animal and its statue, and would not have its mark put on their foreheads or on their hands. They were restored to life and reigned with the Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead were not restored to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the man who experiences the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them; they will be priests of God and the Christ, and reign with him for the thousand years.

There will no longer be anything that is accursed. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his slaves will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will no longer be any night and they will have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.


Then I saw thrones with beings seated on them, who were empowered to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and the message of God, who refused to worship the animal and its statue, and would not have its mark put on their foreheads or on their hands. They were restored to life and reigned with the Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead were not restored to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection.


For all who are guided by God's Spirit are God's sons. It is not a consciousness of servitude that has been imparted to you, to fill you with fear again, but the consciousness of adoption as sons, which makes us cry, "Abba!" that is, Father. The Spirit itself testifies with our spirits that we are God's children, read more.
and if children, heirs also; heirs of God, and fellow-heirs with Christ, if we really share his sufferings in order to share his glory too.

Since Christ therefore has suffered in our physical nature, you must also arm yourselves with the same resolve. For he who suffers in his physical nature has done with sin,


For that reason I am ready to submit to anything for the sake of those whom God has chosen, so that they too may gain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory. How true those words are! "If we have died with him, we will live with him! If we endure, we will reign with him! If we disown him, he will also disown us!

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: " 'The first and the last, who died and came to life again, speaks thus: I know of your distress and poverty??hough you are rich!?? know how you are slandered by those who claim to be Jews when they are not so, but only a synagogue of Satan! Do not be afraid of what you are going to suffer. See! The devil is going to put some of you into prison to be tested there, and for ten days to endure persecution. Prove faithful even unto death and I will give you the crown of life.

Then I saw thrones with beings seated on them, who were empowered to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and the message of God, who refused to worship the animal and its statue, and would not have its mark put on their foreheads or on their hands. They were restored to life and reigned with the Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead were not restored to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the man who experiences the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them; they will be priests of God and the Christ, and reign with him for the thousand years.

But for the sake of Christ I have come to count my former gains as loss. Why, I count everything as loss compared with the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have lost everything, and think it rubbish, in order to gain Christ and be known to be united to him, with any uprightness I may have not based on law but coming through faith in Christ??he uprightness that comes from God through faith. read more.
I want to know him in the power of resurrection, and to share his sufferings and even his death,

For the eyes of the Lord are upon upright men, And his ears are open to their entreaty, But the Lord's face is set against men that do wrong." And who is there that can hurt you if you are eager to do what is right? Even if you should suffer for uprightness, you are blessed. But do not be afraid of them, nor be troubled, read more.
but reverence Christ in your hearts as Lord, and always be ready to make your defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that you have. But do so gently and respectfully, and keep your conscience clear, so that those who abuse your upright Christian conduct may be made ashamed of their slanders. For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will, than for doing wrong.


Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and hurled him into the abyss and he closed it and sealed it over him, to keep him from leading the heathen astray any longer, until the thousand years are over; after that he has to be released for a little while. read more.
Then I saw thrones with beings seated on them, who were empowered to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and the message of God, who refused to worship the animal and its statue, and would not have its mark put on their foreheads or on their hands. They were restored to life and reigned with the Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead were not restored to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the man who experiences the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them; they will be priests of God and the Christ, and reign with him for the thousand years. When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to lead astray the heathen in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, and to muster them for battle, in numbers like the sand of the seashore. They came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the encampment of God's people, and the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who led them astray was flung into the fiery, sulphurous lake, where the animal and the false prophet were, there to be tortured day and night forever and ever.


Then I saw thrones with beings seated on them, who were empowered to act as judges. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony of Jesus and the message of God, who refused to worship the animal and its statue, and would not have its mark put on their foreheads or on their hands. They were restored to life and reigned with the Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead were not restored to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the man who experiences the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them; they will be priests of God and the Christ, and reign with him for the thousand years.