Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



For already, while we were still helpless, Christ at the right moment died for the ungodly. Why, it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life. But God gives proof of His love to us in Christ's dying for us while we were still sinners. read more.
If therefore we have now been pronounced free from guilt through His blood, much more shall we be delivered from God's anger through Him. For if while we were hostile to God we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, it is still more certain that now that we are reconciled, we shall obtain salvation through Christ's life. And not only so, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now obtained that reconciliation.


Do you not know that unrighteous men will not inherit God's Kingdom? Cherish no delusion here. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor any who are guilty of unnatural crime, nor theives, nor avaricious people, nor any who are addicted to hard drinking, to abusive language or to greed of gain, will inherit God's Kingdom. And all this describes what some of you were. But now you have had every stain washed off: now you have been set apart as holy: now you have been pronounced free from guilt; in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God.

For there was a time when we also were deficient in understanding, obstinate, deluded, the slaves of various cravings and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another. But when the goodness of God our Saviour, and His love to man, dawned upon us, not in consequence of things which we, as righteous men, had done, but as the result of His own mercy He saved us by means of the bath of regeneration and the renewal of our natures by the Holy Spirit, read more.
which He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; in order that having been declared righteous through His grace we might become heirs to the Life of the Ages in fulfilment of our hopes.


that God has amply fulfilled it to our children in raising up Jesus; as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'Thou art My Son: to-day I have become Thy Father.' And as to His having raised Him from among the dead, never again to be in the position of one soon to return to decay, He speaks thus: 'I will give you the holy and trustworthy promises made to David.' Because in another Psalm also He says, 'Thou wilt not give up Thy Holy One to undergo decay.' read more.
For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God's purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered to his forefathers, and did undergo decay. But He whom God raised to life underwent no decay. "Understand therefore, brethren, that through this Jesus forgiveness of sins is announced to you; and in Him every believer is absolved from all offences, from which you could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.

for all alike have sinned, and all consciously come short of the glory of God, gaining acquittal from guilt by His free unpurchased grace through the deliverance which is found in Christ Jesus.

For already, while we were still helpless, Christ at the right moment died for the ungodly. Why, it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life. But God gives proof of His love to us in Christ's dying for us while we were still sinners. read more.
If therefore we have now been pronounced free from guilt through His blood, much more shall we be delivered from God's anger through Him. For if while we were hostile to God we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, it is still more certain that now that we are reconciled, we shall obtain salvation through Christ's life. And not only so, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now obtained that reconciliation. What follows? This comparison. Through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and so death passed to all mankind in turn, in that all sinned. For prior to the Law sin was already in the world; only it is not entered in the account against us when no Law exists. Yet Death reigned as king from Adam to Moses even over those who had not sinned, as Adam did, against Law. And in Adam we have a type of Him whose coming was still future. But God's free gift immeasurably outweighs the transgression. For if through the transgression of the one individual the mass of mankind have died, infinitely greater is the generosity with which God's grace, and the gift given in His grace which found expression in the one man Jesus Christ, have been bestowed on the mass of mankind. And it is not with the gift as it was with the results of one individual's sin; for the judgement which one individual provoked resulted in condemnation, whereas the free gift after a multitude of transgressions results in acquittal. For if, through the transgression of the one individual, Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ. It follows then that just as the result of a single transgression is a condemnation which extends to the whole race, so also the result of a single decree of righteousness is a life-giving acquittal which extends to the whole race. For as through the disobedience of the one individual the mass of mankind were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the mass of mankind will be constituted righteous.

know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt. But if while we are seeking in Christ acquittal from guilt we ourselves are convicted of sin, Christ then encourages us to sin! No, indeed. Why, if I am now rebuilding that structure of sin which I had demolished, I am thereby constituting myself a transgressor; read more.
for it is by the Law that I have died to the Law, in order that I may live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me; and the life which I now live in the body I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up to death on my behalf.

He then adds, "I have come to do Thy will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. It is through that divine will that we have been set free from sin, through the offering of Jesus Christ as our sacrifice once for all. And while every priest stands ministering, day after day, and constantly offering the same sacrifices--though such can never rid us of our sins-- read more.
this Priest, on the contrary, after offering for sins a single sacrifice of perpetual efficacy, took His seat at God's right hand, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be put as a footstool under His feet. For by a single offering He has for ever completed the blessing for those whom He is setting free from sin.



But now in Christ Jesus you who once were so far away have been brought near through the death of Christ. For He is our peace--He who has made Jews and Gentiles one, and in His own human nature has broken down the hostile dividing wall, by setting aside the Law with its commandments, expressed, as they were, in definite decrees. His design was to unite the two sections of humanity in Himself so as to form one new man, read more.
thus effecting peace, and to reconcile Jews and Gentiles in one body to God, by means of His cross--slaying by it their mutual enmity.

And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has appointed us to serve in the ministry of reconciliation. We are to tell how God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men's transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation. On Christ's behalf therefore we come as ambassadors, God, as it were, making entreaty through our lips: we, on Christ's behalf, beseech men to be reconciled to God. read more.
He has made Him who knew nothing of sin to be sin for us, in order that in Him we may become the righteousness of God.

For already, while we were still helpless, Christ at the right moment died for the ungodly. Why, it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life. But God gives proof of His love to us in Christ's dying for us while we were still sinners. read more.
If therefore we have now been pronounced free from guilt through His blood, much more shall we be delivered from God's anger through Him. For if while we were hostile to God we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, it is still more certain that now that we are reconciled, we shall obtain salvation through Christ's life. And not only so, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now obtained that reconciliation.

For, since the Law exhibits only an outline of the blessings to come and not a perfect representation of the things themselves, the priests can never, by repeating the same sacrifices which they continually offer year after year, give complete freedom from sin to those who draw near. For then would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, because the consciences of the worshippers--who in that case would now have been cleansed once for all--would no longer be burdened with sins? But in those sacrifices sins are recalled to memory year after year. read more.
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when He comes into the world, He says, "Sacrifice and offering Thou has not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me. In whole burnt-offerings and in sin-offerings Thou hast taken no pleasure. Then I said, 'I have come--in the roll of the book it is written concerning Me--to do Thy will, O God.'" After saying the words I have just quoted, "Sacrifices and offerings or whole burnt-offerings and sin-offerings Thou hast not desired or taken pleasure in" --all such being offered in obedience to the Law-- He then adds, "I have come to do Thy will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. It is through that divine will that we have been set free from sin, through the offering of Jesus Christ as our sacrifice once for all. And while every priest stands ministering, day after day, and constantly offering the same sacrifices--though such can never rid us of our sins-- this Priest, on the contrary, after offering for sins a single sacrifice of perpetual efficacy, took His seat at God's right hand, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be put as a footstool under His feet. For by a single offering He has for ever completed the blessing for those whom He is setting free from sin.

and give thanks to the Father who has made us fit to receive our share of the inheritance of God's people in Light. It is God who has delivered us out of the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us into the Kingdom of His dearly-loved Son, in whom we have our redemption--the forgiveness of our sins. read more.
Christ is the visible representation of the invisible God, the Firstborn and Lord of all creation. For in Him was created the universe of things in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, thrones, dominions, princedoms, powers--all were created, and exist through and for Him. And HE IS before all things and in and through Him the universe is a harmonious whole. Moreover He is the Head of His Body, the Church. He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, in order that He Himself may in all things occupy the foremost place. For it was the Father's gracious will that the whole of the divine perfections should dwell in Him. And God purposed through Him to reconcile the universe to Himself, making peace through His blood, which was shed upon the Cross--to reconcile to Himself through Him, I say, things on earth and things in Heaven. And you, estranged as you once were and even hostile in your minds, amidst your evil deeds, He has now, in His human body, reconciled to God by His death, to bring you, holy and faultless and irreproachable, into His presence;

But Jesus--who was made a little inferior to the angels in order that through God's grace He might taste death for every human being--we already see wearing a crown of glory and honour because of His having suffered death. For it was fitting that He for whom, and through whom, all things exist, after He had brought many sons to glory, should perfect by suffering the Prince Leader who had saved them. For both He who sanctifies and those whom He is sanctifying have all one Father; and for this reason He is not ashamed to speak of them as His brothers; read more.
as when He says: "I will proclaim Thy name to My brothers: in the midst of the congregation I will hymn Thy praises;" and again, "As for Me, I will be one whose trust reposes in God;" and again, "Here am I, and here are the children God has given Me." Since then the children referred to are all alike sharers in perishable human nature, He Himself also, in the same way, took on Him a share of it, in order that through death He might render powerless him who had authority over death, that is, the Devil, and might set at liberty all those who through fear of death had been subject to lifelong slavery. For assuredly it is not to angels that He is continually reaching a helping hand, but it is to the descendants of Abraham. And for this purpose it was necessary that in all respects He should be made to resemble His brothers, so that He might become a compassionate and faithful High Priest in things relating to God, in order to atone for the sins of the people.


Why, it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life.




For already, while we were still helpless, Christ at the right moment died for the ungodly. Why, it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life. But God gives proof of His love to us in Christ's dying for us while we were still sinners. read more.
If therefore we have now been pronounced free from guilt through His blood, much more shall we be delivered from God's anger through Him.

And you followed the pattern set you by us and by the Master, after you had received the Message amid severe persecution, and yet with the joy which the Holy Spirit gives, so that you became a pattern to all the believers throughout Macedonia and Greece. For it was not only from you that the Master's Message sounded forth throughout Macedonia and Greece; but everywhere your faith in God has become known, so that it is unnecessary for us to say anything about it. read more.
For when others speak of us they report the reception we had from you, and how you turned from your idols to God, to be bondservants of the true and ever-living God, and to await the return from Heaven of His Son, whom He raised from among the dead--even Jesus, our Deliverer from God's coming anger.

for all of you are sons of Light and sons of the day. We belong neither to the night nor to darkness. So then let us not sleep, like the rest of the world, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who drink freely, drink at night. read more.
But let us, belonging--as we do--to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not pre-destined us to meet His anger, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ; who died on our behalf, so that whether we are awake or are sleeping we may share His Life. Therefore encourage one another, and let each one help to strengthen his friend, as in fact you do.