Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



and above all make your own life a pattern of right conduct, having in your teaching no taint of insincerity, but a serious tone, and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us.

But as for you, you must speak in a manner that befits wholesome teaching. Exhort aged men to be temperate, grave, sober-minded, robust in their faith, their love and their patience. In the same way exhort aged women to let their conduct be such as becomes consecrated persons. They must not be slanderers nor enslaved to wine-drinking. They must be teachers of what is right. read more.
They should school the young women to be affectionate to their husbands and to their children, to be sober-minded, pure in their lives, industrious in their homes, kind, submissive to their husbands, so that the Christian teaching may not be exposed to reproach. In the same way exhort the younger men to be discreet, and above all make your own life a pattern of right conduct, having in your teaching no taint of insincerity, but a serious tone, and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us. Exhort slaves to be always obedient to their owners, and to give them satisfaction in everything, not contradicting and not pilfering, but manifesting perfect fidelity and kind feeling, in order to bring honour to the teaching of our Saviour, God, in all things. For the grace of God has displayed itself with healing power to all mankind, training us to renounce ungodliness and all the pleasures of this world, and to live sober, upright, and pious lives at the present time, in expectation of the fulfilment of our blessed hope--the Appearing in glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us to purchase our freedom from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a people who should be specially His own, zealous for doing good works. Thus speak, exhort, reprove, with all impressiveness. Let no one make light of your authority.

In conclusion, all of you should be of one mind, quick to sympathize, kind to the brethren, tenderhearted, lowly-minded, not requiting evil with evil nor abuse with abuse, but, on the contrary, giving a blessing in return, because a blessing is what you have been called by God to inherit. For "He who wishes to be well-satisfied with life and see happy days-- let him restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from deceitful words; read more.
Let him turn from evil, and do good; Let him inquire for peace and go in pursuit of it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their supplication; but the face of the Lord is set against evil-doers."









and above all make your own life a pattern of right conduct, having in your teaching no taint of insincerity, but a serious tone, and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us.



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.

In illustration, brethren, of persecution patiently endured take the Prophets who have spoken as messengers from the Lord. Remember that we call those blessed who endured what they did. You have also heard of Job's patient endurance, and have seen the issue of the Lord's dealings with him--how full of tenderness and pity the Lord is.

Dear friends, I entreat you as pilgrims and foreigners not to indulge the cravings of your lower natures: for all such cravings wage war upon the soul. Live honourable lives among the Gentiles, in order that, although they now speak against you as evil-doers, they may yet witness your good conduct, and may glorify God on the day of reward and retribution. Submit, for the Lord's sake, to every authority set up by man, whether it be to the Emperor as supreme ruler, read more.
or to provincial Governors as sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and the encouragement of those who do what is right. For it is God's will that by doing what is right you should thus silence the ignorant talk of foolish persons. Be free men, and yet do not make your freedom an excuse for base conduct, but be God's bondservants. Honour every one. Love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the Emperor. Household servants, be submissive to your masters, and show them the utmost respect--not only if they are kind and thoughtful, but also if they are unreasonable. For it is an acceptable thing with God, if, from a sense of duty to Him, a man patiently submits to wrong, when treated unjustly. If you do wrong and receive a blow for it, what credit is there in your bearing it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you bear it patiently, this is an acceptable thing with God. And it is to this you were called; because Christ also suffered on your behalf, leaving you an example so that you should follow in His steps. He never sinned, and no deceitful language was ever heard from His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not answer with reviling; when He suffered He uttered no threats, but left His wrongs in the hands of the righteous Judge. The burden of our sins He Himself carried in His own body to the Cross and bore it there, so that we, having died so far as our sins are concerned, may live righteous lives. By His wounds yours have been healed. For you were straying like lost sheep, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your souls.

For in ancient times also this was the way the holy women who set their hopes upon God used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their husbands. Thus, for instance, Sarah obeyed Abraham, acknowledging his authority over her. And you have become Sarah's children if you do what is right and permit nothing whatever to terrify you.

Through faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain did, and through this faith he obtained testimony that he was righteous, God giving the testimony by accepting his gifts; and through it, though he is dead, he still speaks. Verse ConceptsAbelAbel and CainFaith, As Basis Of SalvationCommendationExamples Of FaithAtonement, Types OfRighteousness, As FaithWorship, Acceptable AttitudesThe Witness Of GodRighteous By ObedienceSacrificeExcellence




This was not because we had not a claim upon you, but it arose from a desire to set you an example--for you to imitate us. Verse ConceptsImitatingMinisters, Should BeImitating Good PeopleExample Of Believers



Through faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain did, and through this faith he obtained testimony that he was righteous, God giving the testimony by accepting his gifts; and through it, though he is dead, he still speaks. Verse ConceptsAbelAbel and CainFaith, As Basis Of SalvationCommendationExamples Of FaithAtonement, Types OfRighteousness, As FaithWorship, Acceptable AttitudesThe Witness Of GodRighteous By ObedienceSacrificeExcellence




This was not because we had not a claim upon you, but it arose from a desire to set you an example--for you to imitate us. Verse ConceptsImitatingMinisters, Should BeImitating Good PeopleExample Of Believers




This is a faithful saying, and on these various points I would have you insist strenuously, in order that those who have their faith fixed on God may be careful to set an example of good actions. For these are not only good in themselves, but are also useful to mankind. Verse ConceptseagernessProfitsWork, And RedemptionProfitable ThingsFaithful SayingsBelief In GodDo Good!Useful ThingsWorks Of FaithAnxiety And StressWork Ethic




Therefore let us keep our festival not with old yeast nor with the yeast of what is evil and mischievous, but with bread free from yeast--the bread of transparent sincerity and of truth. Verse ConceptsDeceit, Practice OfDeception, Christians Must Not PracticeHonestySpiteSincereityLeavenedGod's Truthnot celebrating christmasthe anniversary FeastsSexual Puritycelebrating

For the reason for our boasting is this--the testimony of our own conscience that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, and in reliance not on worldly wisdom but on the gracious help of God, that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and above all in our relations with you. Verse ConceptsConsciences, Before OthersConsciences, Description Ofevangelists, ministry ofDeception, Christian Leaders Must NotHonestyKnowledge Of Good And EvilPaul, Apostle To GentilesSelf ConfidenceSelf RespectCharacter Of SaintsSinceritySincerity, In Christian LivingSincereityFalse WisdomSpecific Holy IndividualsThe Grace Given To MenThings As WitnessesPaul's BoastingSimplicityPurityDespairBoastingconscienceClear Consciences







Faithful is the saying, "If any one is eager to have the oversight of a Church, he desires a noble work." A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching; not a hard drinker nor given to blows; not selfish or quarrelsome or covetous; read more.
but ruling his own household wisely and well, with children kept under control with true dignity. (If a man does not know how to rule his own household, how shall he have the Church of God given into his care?) He ought not to be a new convert, for fear he should be blinded with pride and come under the same condemnation as the Devil. It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil. Deacons, in the same way, must be men of serious demeanour, not double-tongued, nor addicted to much wine, nor greedy of base gain, but holding the secret truths of the faith with a clear conscience. And they must also be well-tried men, and when found to be of unblemished character then let them serve as deacons. Deaconesses, in the same way, must be sober-minded women, not slanderers, but in every way temperate and trustworthy.

But as for you, you must speak in a manner that befits wholesome teaching. Exhort aged men to be temperate, grave, sober-minded, robust in their faith, their love and their patience. In the same way exhort aged women to let their conduct be such as becomes consecrated persons. They must not be slanderers nor enslaved to wine-drinking. They must be teachers of what is right. read more.
They should school the young women to be affectionate to their husbands and to their children, to be sober-minded, pure in their lives, industrious in their homes, kind, submissive to their husbands, so that the Christian teaching may not be exposed to reproach. In the same way exhort the younger men to be discreet, and above all make your own life a pattern of right conduct, having in your teaching no taint of insincerity, but a serious tone, and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us. Exhort slaves to be always obedient to their owners, and to give them satisfaction in everything, not contradicting and not pilfering, but manifesting perfect fidelity and kind feeling, in order to bring honour to the teaching of our Saviour, God, in all things. For the grace of God has displayed itself with healing power to all mankind, training us to renounce ungodliness and all the pleasures of this world, and to live sober, upright, and pious lives at the present time,

Through faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain did, and through this faith he obtained testimony that he was righteous, God giving the testimony by accepting his gifts; and through it, though he is dead, he still speaks. Verse ConceptsAbelAbel and CainFaith, As Basis Of SalvationCommendationExamples Of FaithAtonement, Types OfRighteousness, As FaithWorship, Acceptable AttitudesThe Witness Of GodRighteous By ObedienceSacrificeExcellence




This was not because we had not a claim upon you, but it arose from a desire to set you an example--for you to imitate us. Verse ConceptsImitatingMinisters, Should BeImitating Good PeopleExample Of Believers




and above all make your own life a pattern of right conduct, having in your teaching no taint of insincerity, but a serious tone, and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us.

But above all things, my brethren, do not swear, either by Heaven or by the earth, or with any other oath. Let your 'yes' be simply 'yes,' and your 'no' be simply 'no;' that you may not come under condemnation. Verse ConceptsBad LanguageConsistencyAffirmationsethics, personalOaths, HumanAffirmative ActionConversationHeaven, Glimpsed By HumansCursingSwearing Being ForbiddenAssentingDissentSwearing OathsNot Swearing OathsNo CondemnationSwearing



"Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shalt perform thy vows to the Lord.' But I tell you not to swear at all; neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool under His feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great King. read more.
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your language be, 'Yes, yes,' or 'No, no.' Anything in excess of this comes from the Evil one.


But as for you, you must speak in a manner that befits wholesome teaching. Exhort aged men to be temperate, grave, sober-minded, robust in their faith, their love and their patience. In the same way exhort aged women to let their conduct be such as becomes consecrated persons. They must not be slanderers nor enslaved to wine-drinking. They must be teachers of what is right. read more.
They should school the young women to be affectionate to their husbands and to their children, to be sober-minded, pure in their lives, industrious in their homes, kind, submissive to their husbands, so that the Christian teaching may not be exposed to reproach. In the same way exhort the younger men to be discreet, and above all make your own life a pattern of right conduct, having in your teaching no taint of insincerity, but a serious tone, and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us. Exhort slaves to be always obedient to their owners, and to give them satisfaction in everything, not contradicting and not pilfering, but manifesting perfect fidelity and kind feeling, in order to bring honour to the teaching of our Saviour, God, in all things. For the grace of God has displayed itself with healing power to all mankind, training us to renounce ungodliness and all the pleasures of this world, and to live sober, upright, and pious lives at the present time, in expectation of the fulfilment of our blessed hope--the Appearing in glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us to purchase our freedom from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a people who should be specially His own, zealous for doing good works. Thus speak, exhort, reprove, with all impressiveness. Let no one make light of your authority.




Therefore let us keep our festival not with old yeast nor with the yeast of what is evil and mischievous, but with bread free from yeast--the bread of transparent sincerity and of truth. Verse ConceptsDeceit, Practice OfDeception, Christians Must Not PracticeHonestySpiteSincereityLeavenedGod's Truthnot celebrating christmasthe anniversary FeastsSexual Puritycelebrating

For the reason for our boasting is this--the testimony of our own conscience that it was in holiness and with pure motives before God, and in reliance not on worldly wisdom but on the gracious help of God, that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and above all in our relations with you. Verse ConceptsConsciences, Before OthersConsciences, Description Ofevangelists, ministry ofDeception, Christian Leaders Must NotHonestyKnowledge Of Good And EvilPaul, Apostle To GentilesSelf ConfidenceSelf RespectCharacter Of SaintsSinceritySincerity, In Christian LivingSincereityFalse WisdomSpecific Holy IndividualsThe Grace Given To MenThings As WitnessesPaul's BoastingSimplicityPurityDespairBoastingconscienceClear Consciences





This is a faithful saying, and on these various points I would have you insist strenuously, in order that those who have their faith fixed on God may be careful to set an example of good actions. For these are not only good in themselves, but are also useful to mankind. Verse ConceptseagernessProfitsWork, And RedemptionProfitable ThingsFaithful SayingsBelief In GodDo Good!Useful ThingsWorks Of FaithAnxiety And StressWork Ethic




This is a faithful saying, and on these various points I would have you insist strenuously, in order that those who have their faith fixed on God may be careful to set an example of good actions. For these are not only good in themselves, but are also useful to mankind. Verse ConceptseagernessProfitsWork, And RedemptionProfitable ThingsFaithful SayingsBelief In GodDo Good!Useful ThingsWorks Of FaithAnxiety And StressWork Ethic