Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners. Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, shall we be saved by virtue of Christ's Life. read more.
And not only that, but we exult in God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have now obtained this reconciliation.

But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation-- To proclaim that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning men's offenses against them, and that he had entrusted us with the Message of this reconciliation.


The love of God was revealed to us by his sending his only Son into the world, that we might find Life through him. His love is seen in this--not in our having loved God, but in his loving us and sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Seeing that, while we were still powerless, Christ, in God's good time, died on behalf of the godless. Even for an upright man scarcely any one will die. For a really good man perhaps some one might even dare to die. But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners. read more.
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, shall we be saved by virtue of Christ's Life. And not only that, but we exult in God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have now obtained this reconciliation.








And therefore God, in his desire to show, with unmistakable plainness, to those who were to enter on the enjoyment of what he had promised, the unchangeableness of his purpose, bound himself with an oath. For he intended us to find great encouragement in these two unchangeable things, which make it impossible for God to prove false--we, I mean, who fled for safety where we might lay hold on the hope set before us.




Yet God, in his abundant compassion, and because of the great love with which he loved us, Even though we were 'dead' because of our offenses, gave Life to us in giving Life to the Christ. (By God's loving-kindness you have been saved.)









Do not you know that wrong-doers will have no share in God's Kingdom? Do not be deceived. No one who is immoral, or an idolater, or an adulterer, or licentious, or a sodomite, Or a thief, or covetous, or a drunkard, or abusive, or grasping, will have any share in God's Kingdom. Such some of you used to be; but you washed yourselves clean. You became Christ's People! you were pronounced righteous through the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the Spirit of our God!

There was, you remember, a time when we ourselves were foolish, disobedient, misled, slaves to all kinds of passions and vices, living in a spirit of malice and envy, detested ourselves and hating one another. But, when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for man were revealed, he saved us, not as the result of any righteous actions that we had done, but in fulfillment of his merciful purposes. He saved us by that Washing which was a New Birth to us, and by the renewing power of the Holy Spirit, read more.
which he poured out upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that, having been pronounced righteous through his loving-kindness, we might enter on our inheritance with the hope of Immortal Life.


That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm--'Thou art my Son; this day I have become thy Father.' As to his raising Jesus from the dead, never again to return to corruption, this is what is said--'I will give to you the sacred promises made to David;' And, therefore, in another Psalm it is said--'Thou wilt not give up the Holy One to undergo corruption.' read more.
David, after obediently doing God's will in his own time, 'fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption; But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption. I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.

For all have sinned, and all fall short of God's glorious ideal, But, in his loving-kindness, are being freely pronounced righteous through the deliverance found in Christ Jesus.

Seeing that, while we were still powerless, Christ, in God's good time, died on behalf of the godless. Even for an upright man scarcely any one will die. For a really good man perhaps some one might even dare to die. But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners. read more.
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, shall we be saved by virtue of Christ's Life. And not only that, but we exult in God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have now obtained this reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and through sin came death; so, also, death spread to all mankind, because all men had sinned. Even before the time of the Law there was sin in the world; but sin cannot be charged against a man where no Law exists. Yet, from Adam to Moses, Death reigned even over those whose sin was not a breach of a law, as Adam's was. And Adam foreshadows the One to come. But there is a contrast between Adam's Offence and God's gracious Gift. For, if by reason of the offence of the one man the whole race died, far more were the loving-kindness of God, and the gift given in the loving-kindness of the one man, Jesus Christ, lavished upon the whole race. There is a contrast, too, between the gift and the results of the one man's sin. The judgment, which followed upon the one man's sin, resulted in condemnation, but God's gracious Gift, which followed upon many offences, resulted in a decree of righteousness. For if, by reason of the offence of the one man, Death reigned through that one man, far more will those, upon whom God's loving- kindness and his gift of righteousness are lavished, find Life, and reign through the one man, Jesus Christ. Briefly then, just as a single offence resulted for all mankind in condemnation, so, too, a single decree of righteousness resulted for all mankind in that declaration of righteousness which brings Life. For, as through the disobedience of the one man the whole race was rendered sinful, so, too, through the obedience of the one, the whole race will be rendered righteous.

So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.' If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be outcasts, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid! For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong. read more.
I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ. Every other priest stands day after day at his ministrations, and offers the same sacrifices over and over again--sacrifices that can never take sins away. read more.
But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified.


Yet God, in his abundant compassion, and because of the great love with which he loved us, Even though we were 'dead' because of our offenses, gave Life to us in giving Life to the Christ. (By God's loving-kindness you have been saved.)












But now, through your union with Christ Jesus, you who once were 'far off' have, by the shedding of the blood of the Christ, been brought 'near.' He it is who is our Peace. He made the two divisions of mankind one, broke down the barrier that separated them, And in his human nature put an end to the cause of enmity between them--the Law with its injunctions and ordinances--in order to create, through union with himself, from Jew and Gentile, one New Man and thus make peace. read more.
And when, upon the cross, he had destroyed their mutual enmity, he sought by means of his cross to reconcile them both to God, united in one Body.

But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation-- To proclaim that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning men's offenses against them, and that he had entrusted us with the Message of this reconciliation. It is, then, on Christ's behalf that we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing to you through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf--Be reconciled to God. read more.
Him who never knew sin God made to be Sin, on our behalf; so that we, through union with him, might become the Righteousness of God.

Seeing that, while we were still powerless, Christ, in God's good time, died on behalf of the godless. Even for an upright man scarcely any one will die. For a really good man perhaps some one might even dare to die. But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners. read more.
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God. For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, shall we be saved by virtue of Christ's Life. And not only that, but we exult in God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have now obtained this reconciliation.

The Law, though able to foreshadow the Better System which was coming, never had its actual substance. Its priests, with those sacrifices which they offer continuously year after year, can never make those who come to worship perfect. Otherwise, would not the offering of these sacrifices have been abandoned, as the worshipers, having been once purified, would have had their consciences clear from sins? But, on the contrary, these sacrifices recall their sins to mind year after year. read more.
For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared-- 'Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but thou dost provide for me a body; Thou dost take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. So I said, "See, I have come' (as is written of me in the pages of the Book), "To do thy will, O God."' First come the words-- 'Thou dost not desire, nor dost thou take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin' (offerings regularly made under the Law), and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter. And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ. Every other priest stands day after day at his ministrations, and offers the same sacrifices over and over again--sacrifices that can never take sins away. But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,' and has since then been waiting 'for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.' By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified.

And you will give thanks to the Father who made you fit to share the lot which awaits Christ's People in the realms of Light. For God has rescued us from the tyranny of Darkness, and has removed us into the Kingdom of his Son, who is the embodiment of his love, And through whom we have found deliverance in the forgiveness of our sins. read more.
For Christ is the very incarnation of the invisible God-- First-born and Head of all creation; For in him was created all that is in Heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible--Angels and Archangels and all the Powers of Heaven. All has been created through him and for him. He was before all things, and all things unite in him; And he is the Head of the Church, which is his Body. The First-born from the dead, he is to the Church the Source of its Life, that he, in all things, may stand first. For it pleased the Father that in him the divine nature in all its fulness should dwell, And through him to reconcile all things to himself (making peace by the shedding of Christ's blood offered upon the cross)-- whether on earth or in Heaven. And it pleased God that you, once estranged from him and hostile towards him in your thoughts, intent only on wickedness-- But now he has reconciled you to himself by the sacrifice of Christ's earthly body in death--it has pleased God that you should stand in his presence holy, pure, and blameless,

What our eyes do see is Jesus, who was made for a while lower than angels, now, because of his sufferings and death, crowned with glory and honour; so that his tasting the bitterness of death should, in God's loving-kindness, be on behalf of all mankind. It was, indeed, fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, should, when leading many sons to glory, make the author of their Salvation perfect through suffering. For he who purifies, and those whom he purifies, all spring from One; and therefore he is not ashamed to call them 'Brothers.' read more.
He says-- 'I will tell of thy Name to my Brothers, In the midst of the congregation I will sing thy praise.' And again-- 'As for me, I will put my trust in God.' And yet again-- 'See, here am I and the children whom God gave me.' Therefore, since human nature is the common heritage of 'the Children,' Jesus also shared it, in order that by death he might render powerless him whose power lies in death--that is, the Devil-- and so might deliver all those who, from fear of death, had all their lives been living in slavery. It was not, surely, to the help of the angels that Jesus came, but 'to the help of the descendants of Abraham.' And consequently it was necessary that he should in all points be made like 'his Brothers,' in order that he might prove a merciful as well as a faithful High Priest in man's relations with God, for the purpose of expiating the sins of his People.



The love of God was revealed to us by his sending his only Son into the world, that we might find Life through him. His love is seen in this--not in our having loved God, but in his loving us and sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.


Yet God, in his abundant compassion, and because of the great love with which he loved us, Even though we were 'dead' because of our offenses, gave Life to us in giving Life to the Christ. (By God's loving-kindness you have been saved.)










The love of God was revealed to us by his sending his only Son into the world, that we might find Life through him. His love is seen in this--not in our having loved God, but in his loving us and sending his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.




OMITTED TEXT What think you? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying? And, if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you that he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray. read more.
So, too, it is the will of my Father who is in Heaven that not one of these lowly ones should be lost.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that every one who believes in him may not be lost, but have Immortal Life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.



Seeing that, while we were still powerless, Christ, in God's good time, died on behalf of the godless. Even for an upright man scarcely any one will die. For a really good man perhaps some one might even dare to die. But God puts his love for us beyond all doubt by the fact that Christ died on our behalf while we were still sinners. read more.
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God.

And you yourselves began to follow, not only our example, but the Master's also; and, in spite of much suffering, you welcomed the Message with a joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, And so became a pattern to all who believed in Christ throughout Macedonia and Greece. For it was from you that the Lord's Message resounded throughout Macedonia and Greece; and, more than that, your faith in God has become known far and wide; so that there is no need for us to say another word. read more.
Indeed, in speaking about us, the people themselves tell of the reception you gave us, and how, turning to God from your idols, you became servants of the true and living God, And are now awaiting the return from Heaven of his Son whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, our deliverer from the Coming Wrath.

For you all are 'Sons of Light' and 'Sons of the Day.' We have nothing to do with night, or darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as others do. No, let us be watchful and self-controlled. It is at night that men sleep, and at night that drunkards get drunk. read more.
But let us, who belong to the Day, control ourselves, and put on faith and love as a breast plate, and the hope of Salvation as a helmet. For God destined us, not for Wrath, but to win Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, That, whether we are still watching or have fallen asleep, we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another, and try to build up one another's characters, as indeed you are doing.