Thematic Bible: Three young men who would not bend, budge, or burn da 3


Thematic Bible



And when he stopped speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered [and] said, "Master, [although we] worked hard through the whole night, we caught nothing. But at your word I will let down the nets." And [when they] did this, they caught a very large number of fish, and their nets began to tear. read more.
And they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come [and] help them, and they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink. And [when he] saw [it], Simon Peter fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, Lord, because I am {a sinful man}!"

Now [when it] was already early morning, Jesus stood on the beach. However, the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, "Children, you do not have any fish to eat, [do you]? They answered him, "No." And he said to them, "Throw the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find [some]." So they threw [it], and were no longer able to haul it in from the large number of the fish. read more.
Then that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" So Simon Peter, [when he] heard that it was the Lord, tied around himself his outer garment (for he was naked) and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net of fish, because they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away. So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire laid [there], and a fish lying on [it], and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just now caught." So Simon Peter got into [the boat] and hauled the net to the land, full of large fish--one hundred fifty-three--and [although there] were so many, the net was not torn.


And behold, a woman who had been suffering with a hemorrhage twelve years approached from behind [and] touched the edge of his cloak, for she said to herself, "If only I touch his cloak I will be healed." But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, "Have courage, daughter! Your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that hour.


"Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps [and] went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were foolish and five [were] wise. For [when] the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take olive oil with them. read more.
But the wise ones took olive oil in flasks with their lamps. And [when] the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish ones said to the wise ones, 'Give us [some] of your olive oil, because our lamps are going out!' But the wise ones answered saying, "Certainly there will never be enough for us and for you! Go instead to those who sell [olive oil] and buy [some] for yourselves.' But [while] they had gone away to buy [it] the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding celebration, and the door was shut. And later the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open [the door] for us!' But he answered [and] said, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you!' Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know the day or the hour!


Now [after] Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star at its rising and have come to worship him." And [when] King Herod heard [it], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, read more.
and [after] calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired from them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for from you will go out a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men [and] determined precisely from them the time [when] the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem [and] said, "Go, inquire carefully concerning the child, and when you have found [him], report to me so that I also may come [and] worship him." [After] they listened to the king, they went out, and behold, the star which they had seen at its rising led them until it came [and] stood above [the place] where the child was. Now [when they] saw the star, they rejoiced [with] very great joy. And [when they] came into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down [and] worshiped him. And opening their treasure boxes, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.


And Jesus replied [and] said, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who both stripped him and beat [him]. [After] inflicting blows on [him], they went away, leaving [him] half dead. Now by coincidence a certain priest was going down on that road, and [when he] saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. And in the same way also a Levite, [when he] came down to the place and saw [him], passed by on the opposite side. read more.
But a certain Samaritan who was traveling came up to him and, [when he] saw [him], had compassion. And he came up [and] bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine, and he put him on his own animal [and] brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the next day, he took out two denarii [and] gave [them] to the innkeeper, and said, "Take care of him, and whatever you spend in addition, I will repay to you when I return. Which of these three do you suppose became a neighbor of the man who fell among the robbers?" So he said, "The one who showed mercy to him." And Jesus said to him, "You go and do likewise."


And [as] he was entering into a certain village, ten men met [him]--lepers, who stood at a distance. And they raised [their] voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" And [when he] saw [them] he said to them, "Go [and] show yourselves to the priests." And it happened that as they were going, they were cleansed. read more.
But one of them, [when he] saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. And he fell on [his] face at his feet, giving thanks to him. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered [and] said, "Were not ten cleansed? And where [are] the nine? Was no one found to turn back [and] give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Get up [and] go your way. Your faith has saved you."


And it happened that [as] we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners [by] fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us [and] was crying out, saying, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!" And she was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed and turning around, said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out {immediately}. read more.
But [when] her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas [and] dragged [them] into the marketplace before the rulers. And [when they] had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, [because we] are Romans!" And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing [and] gave orders to beat [them] with rods. And [after they] had inflicted many blows on them, they threw [them] into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely. Having received such an order, {he} put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying [and] singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened. And [after] the jailer was awake and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew [his] sword [and] was about to kill himself, [because he] thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, "Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!"


But he said to him, "A certain man was giving a large banquet and invited many. And he sent his slave at the hour of the banquet to say to those who have been invited, 'Come, because now it is ready!' And they all {alike} began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field, and {I must} go out to look at it. I ask you, consider me excused.' read more.
And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and for this [reason] I am not able to come.' And the slave came [and] reported these [things] to his master. Then the master of the house became angry [and] said to his slave, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame!' And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and hedges and press [them] to come in, so that my house will be filled! For I say to you that none of those persons who were invited will taste my banquet!'"


{It pleased Darius}, and he set up one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, that they were {throughout the whole kingdom}, and over them [were] three administrators, [of] whom Daniel [was] one, [so] that these satraps were giving account to them, and the king would not be suffering loss. Then Daniel {began distinguishing himself} above the administrators and the satraps {because} an exceptional spirit [was] in him, and [so] the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. read more.
Then the [other] administrators and satraps {began to seek} to find pretext against Daniel {in connection with the kingdom}, but they were not able to find any pretext and {corruption} {because} he was trustworthy, and no negligence or {corruption} {could be found in him}. Then these men {said}, "We will not find any pretext against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God." So the administrators and the satraps conspired {with respect to} the king and so they said to him, "Darius, O king, live {forever}! All of [the] administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel [and have] agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that {whoever} will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you [for] up to thirty days will be thrown into {the lion pit}. Now, O king, establish the edict and you must sign the document [so] that [it] cannot be changed, according to [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked." {So} the king, Darius, signed the writing and the interdict. Now {when} Daniel realized that the document was signed, he went to his house ({now he had windows in his upper room that were open} toward Jerusalem), and three times {daily} he knelt on his knees and prayed and [gave] praise before his God, {just as} he had been doing {previously}. Then these men came as a group and they found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his God. Then they approached {and spoke with the king} concerning the edict of the king, "{Did you not sign an edict} that any person who would seek [anything] from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into {the lion pit}?" The king answered and said, "The matter [as you have just stated] is certain according to [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked." Then {they responded} and said before the king, "Daniel, who [is] from {the exiles} of Judah, {is not paying any attention} to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, {and three times daily} he says his prayer." Then the king, when he heard that {report}, he was extremely distressed over it; and {concerning Daniel} {he was determined} to rescue him. And until the setting of the sun he was making every effort to deliver him. Then these men came as group to the king and {said}, "Recall, O king, that [with respect to] [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians that {any} decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be changed." Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw [him] into {the lion pit}. {The king said} to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve {faithfully}, may he rescue you!" And a stone was brought and it was put on the entrance of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signet [ring] and with the signet [rings] of his lords, so that nothing would be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night in fasting, and no food was brought in before him and his sleep fled from him. Then the king got up at daybreak, at first light, and he went {in haste} to {the lion pit}. And {when he came near} to the pit, he cried out to Daniel with distressed voice, [and] the king {spoke} and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve faithfully, was he able to rescue you from the lions?" Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live {forever}! My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not hurt me, {because} before him {I was found} blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done [any] wrong."


And he said, "A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to [his] father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that is coming to [me].' So he divided [his] assets between them. And after not many days, the younger son gathered everything [and] went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth [by] living wastefully. read more.
And [after] he had spent everything, there was a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need. And he went [and] hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to tend pigs. And he was longing to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving [anything] to him. "But [when he] came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have an abundance {of food}, and I am dying here from hunger! I will set out [and] go to my father and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and {in your sight}! I am no longer worthy to be called your son! Make me like one of your hired workers.' And he set out [and] came to his own father. But [while] he was still a long way away, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran {and embraced him} and kissed him. And [his] son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and {in your sight}! I am no longer worthy to be called your son!' But [his] father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put [it] on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on [his] feet! And bring the fattened calf--kill [it] and let us eat [and] celebrate, because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again! He was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.


And the child was growing and becoming strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him. And his parents went every year to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years [old], they went up according to the custom of the feast. read more.
And [after] the days were completed, while they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. And his parents did not know [it], but believing him to be in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. And they began searching for him among [their] relatives and [their] acquaintances, and [when they] did not find [him], they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. And it happened that after three days they found him in the temple [courts], sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and asking them [questions]. And all who heard him were amazed at his insight and [his] answers. And [when they] saw him, they were astounded and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have been searching for you anxiously!" And he said to them, "{Why} were you searching for me? Did you not know that it was necessary [for] me to be in the [house] of my Father?" And they did not understand the statement that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was submitting to them. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus was advancing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and [with] people.


{Then Jesus, when he looked up} and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread so that these [people] can eat?" (Now he said this to test him, because he knew what he was going to do.) Philip replied to him, "Two hundred denarii [worth of] bread would not be enough for them, in order that each one could receive a little." read more.
One of his disciples, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "Here is a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many [people]?" Jesus said, "Make the people recline." (Now [there] was a lot of grass in the place.) So the men reclined, approximately five thousand [in] number. Then Jesus took the bread, and [after he] had given thanks, he distributed [it] to those who were reclining--likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they were satisfied, he said to his disciples, "Gather the remaining fragments so that nothing is lost." So they gathered [them], and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.


And [after we] were brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta. And the local inhabitants showed {extraordinary} kindness to us, for they lit a fire [and] welcomed us all, because of the rain that had begun and because of the cold. And [when] Paul had gathered a large number of sticks and was placing [them] on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat [and] fastened itself on his hand. read more.
And when the local people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Doubtless this man is a murderer whom, [although he] was rescued from the sea, Justice has not permitted to live!" He, in turn, shook off the creature into the fire [and] suffered no harm. But they were expecting [that] he was going to swell up or suddenly to fall down dead. So [after] they had waited for a long [time] and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds [and] began saying [that] he was a god.


Now a certain man {named} Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and he kept back for himself [some] of the proceeds, and [his] wife was aware of [it]. And he brought a certain part [and] placed [it] at the feet of the apostles. But Peter said, "Ananias, for what [reason] has Satan filled your heart, [that] you lied to the Holy Spirit and kept back for yourself [some] of the proceeds of the piece of land? read more.
[When it] remained to you, did it not remain [yours]? And [when it] was sold, was it at your disposal? How [is it] that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people, but to God!" And [when] Ananias heard these words, he fell down [and] died. And great fear came on all those who heard about [it]. So the young men stood up, wrapped him up, and carried [him] out [and] buried [him]. And it happened that [there was] an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you [both] were paid this much [for] the piece of land." And she said, "Yes, this much." So Peter [said] to her, "How [is it] that it was agreed by you [two] to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband [are] at the door, and they will carry you out!" And immediately she fell down at his feet and died. So [when] the young men came in, they found her dead, and carried [her] out [and] buried [her] with her husband.


After these [things] [there] was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool called in Aramaic Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these were lying a large number of those who were sick, blind, lame, paralyzed. read more.
And a certain man was there who had [been] thirty-eight years in his sickness. Jesus, [when he] saw this one lying [there] and knew that he had [been sick] a long time already, said to him, "Do you want to become well?" The one who was sick answered him, "Sir, I do not have anyone that, whenever the water is stirred up, could put me into the pool. But {while} I am coming, another goes down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!" And immediately the man became well and picked up his mat and began to walk. (Now it was the Sabbath on that day.)