Thematic Bible: Trial of


Thematic Bible






When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path. By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the man who hears the Message, and at once accepts it joyfully; But, as he has no root, he stands for only a short time; and, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, he falls away at once. read more.
By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the man who hears the Message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return.




for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again. And had not those days been limited, not a single soul would escape; but for the sake of 'God's People' a limit will be put to them. And, at that time, if any one should say to you 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 'Here he is!', do not believe it; read more.
For false Christs and false Prophets will arise, and will display great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, even God's People would be led astray. Remember, I have told you beforehand.

By the seed which fell upon the rock are meant those who, as soon as they hear the Message, welcome it joyfully; but they have no root, and believe it only for a time, and, when the time of temptation comes, they draw back. By that which fell among the brambles are meant those who hear the Message, but who, as they go on their way, are completely choked by this world's cares and wealth and pleasures, and bring nothing to perfection.

Brothers, it is our duty always to thank God about you, as is but right, considering the wonderful growth of your faith, and because, without exception, your love for one another is continually increasing. So much is this the case that we ourselves speak with pride, before the Churches of God, of the patience and faith which you have shown, in spite of all the persecutions and troubles that you are enduring. These persecutions will vindicate the justice of God's judgment, and will result in your being reckoned worthy of God's Kingdom, for the sake of which you are now afflicted;

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When God gave his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater by whom he could swear, he swore by himself. His words were-- 'I will assuredly bless thee and increase thy numbers.' And so, after patiently waiting, Abraham obtained the fulfillment of God's promise.

The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met Jesus. And just then a man in the crowd shouted out: "Teacher, I entreat you to look at my son, for he is my only child; All at once a spirit will seize him, suddenly shriek out, and throw him into convulsions till he foams, and will leave him only when he is utterly exhausted. read more.
I entreated your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not." "O faithless and perverse generation!" Jesus exclaimed; "how long must I be with you and have patience with you? Lead your son here." While the boy was coming up to Jesus, the demon dashed him down and threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, and cured the boy, and gave him back to his father.

When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, and, kneeling down before him, said: "Master, take pity on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers terribly; indeed, he often falls into the fire and into the water; I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him." read more.
"O faithless and perverse generation!" Jesus exclaimed, "how long must I be among you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy here to me." Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy; and he was cured from that very hour. Afterwards the disciples came up to Jesus, and asked him privately: "Why was it that we could not drive it out?" "Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you." OMITTED TEXT

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a great crowd round them, and some Teachers of the Law arguing with them. But, as soon as they saw Jesus, all the people, in great astonishment, ran up and greeted him. "What are you arguing about with them?" Jesus asked. read more.
"Teacher," answered a man in the crowd, "I brought my son to see you, as he has a dumb spirit in him; And, wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he is pining away. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they failed." "O faithless generation!" exclaimed Jesus. "How long must I be with you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy to me." They brought him to Jesus; but no sooner did the boy see him than the spirit threw him into convulsions; and he fell on the ground, and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. "How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the boy's father. "From his childhood," he answered; "and it has often thrown him into fire and into water to put an end to his life; but, if you can possibly do anything, take pity on us, and help us!" Why say 'possibly'?" Jesus replied. "Everything is possible for one who has faith." The boy's father immediately cried out: "I have faith; help my want of faith!" But, when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he rebuked the foul spirit: "Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. Come out from him and never enter him again." With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead. But Jesus took his hand, and lifted him; and he stood up. When Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately: "Why could not we drive it out?" "A spirit of this kind," he said, "can be driven out only by prayer."

Then he got into the boat, followed by his disciples. Suddenly so great a storm came on upon the Sea, that the waves broke right over the boat. But Jesus was asleep; And the disciples came and roused him. "Master," they cried, "save us; we are lost!" read more.
"Why are you so timid?" he said. "O men of little faith!" Then Jesus rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and a great calm followed. The men were amazed, and exclaimed: "What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"

So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. A violent squall came on, and the waves kept dashing into the boat, so that the boat was actually filling. Jesus was in the stern asleep upon the cushion; and the disciples roused him and cried: "Teacher! is it nothing to you that we are lost?" read more.
Jesus rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: "Hush! Be still!" Then the wind dropped, and a great calm followed. "Why are you so timid?" he exclaimed. "Have you no faith yet?" But they were struck with great awe, and said to one another: "Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

One day about that time, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them: "Let us go across the lake." So they put off. While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A squall swept down upon the lake, and their boat was filling and they were in danger. So the disciples came and roused him. "Sir, Sir," they cried, "we are lost!" Jesus rose and rebuked the wind and the rushing waves, and they fell, and a calm followed. read more.
"Where is your faith?" he exclaimed. But in great awe and amazement they said to one another: "Who can this be, that he commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him?" And they reached the country of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite side to Galilee;



He preferred sharing the hardships of God's People to enjoying the short-lived pleasures of sin. For he counted 'the reproaches that are heaped upon the Christ' of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, looking forward, as he did, to the reward awaiting him. Faith caused him to leave Egypt, though undaunted by the King's anger, for he was strengthened in his endurance by the vision of the invisible God. read more.
Faith led him to institute the Passover and the Sprinkling of the Blood, so that the Destroyer might not touch the eldest children of the Israelites. Faith enabled the people to cross the Red Sea, as if it had been dry land, while the Egyptians, when they attempted to do so, were drowned.

Need I add anything more? Time would fail me if I attempted to relate the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, and those of David, Samuel, and the Prophets. Verse ConceptsDavid, Spiritual Significance Ofheroesgideon


It was faith that enabled Abraham, when put to the test, to offer Isaac as a sacrifice--he who had received the promises offering up his only son, of whom it had been said-- 'It is through Isaac that there shall be descendants to bear thy name.' For he argued that God was able even to raise a man from the dead--and indeed, figuratively speaking, Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead.



Need I add anything more? Time would fail me if I attempted to relate the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, and those of David, Samuel, and the Prophets. By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfillment of God's promises, 'shut the mouths of lions,' quelled the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, found strength in the hour of weakness, displayed their prowess in war, and routed hostile armies.

Need I add anything more? Time would fail me if I attempted to relate the stories of Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, and those of David, Samuel, and the Prophets. By their faith they subdued kingdoms, ruled righteously, gained the fulfillment of God's promises, 'shut the mouths of lions,'


On going away from that place, Jesus retired to the country round Tyre and Sidon. There, a Canaanite woman of that district came out and began calling to Jesus: "Take pity on me, Master, Son of David; my daughter is grievously possessed by a demon." But Jesus did not answer her a word; and his disciples came up and begged him to send her away. "She keeps calling out after us," they said. read more.
"I was not sent," replied Jesus, "to any one except the lost sheep of Israel." But the woman came, and, bowing to the ground before him, said: "Master, help me." "It is not fair," replied Jesus, "to take the children's food and throw it to dogs." "Yes, Master," she said, "for even dogs do feed on the scraps that fall from their owners' table." "Your faith is great," was his reply to the woman; "it shall be as you wish!" And her daughter was cured that very hour.

On leaving that place, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a house, and did not wish anyone to know it, but could not escape notice. For a woman, whose little daughter had a foul spirit in her, heard of him immediately, and came and threw herself at his feet-- The woman was a foreigner, a native of Syrian Phoenicia--and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. read more.
"Let the children be satisfied first," answered Jesus. "For it is not fair to take the children's food, and throw it to dogs." "Yes, Master," she replied; "even the dogs under the table do feed on the children's crumbs." "For saying that," he answered, "you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." The woman went home, and found the child lying on her bed, and the demon gone.

"But you," he said, "who do you say that I am?" And to this Simon Peter answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." "Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," Jesus replied. "For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven. read more.
Yes, and I say to you, Your name is 'Peter--a Rock, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the Powers of the Place of Death shall not prevail over it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be held in Heaven to be forbidden, and whatever you allow on earth will be held in Heaven to be allowed." Then he charged his disciples not to tell any one that he was the Christ.

"But you," he went on, "who do you say that I am?" And to this Peter answered: "The Christ of God." Jesus, however, strictly charged them not to say this to any one;

It was faith that enabled Abraham to obey the Call that he received, and to set out for the place which he was afterwards to obtain as his own; and he set out not knowing where he was going. Verse ConceptsAbrahamFaith, Nature OfExamples Of FaithCommitment, to GodReceiving An InheritanceHistoryAbraham, New Testament ReferencesAbraham, Calling And LifeCalling, Of IndividualsDestinationsExploits Of FaithNot Knowing Where


Faith caused the walls of Jericho to fall after being encircled for seven days. Verse ConceptsFaith, Nature OfWeeksSeven DaysExploits Of FaithThings FallingFalling

Then, a second time, Jesus asked: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Master," he answered, "you know that I am your friend." "Tend my sheep," said Jesus. The third time, Jesus said to him: "Simon, son of John, are you my friend?" Peter was hurt at his third question being 'Are you my friend?'; and exclaimed: "Master, you know everything! You can tell that I am your friend." "Feed my sheep," said Jesus.

Three hours after midnight, however, Jesus came towards the disciples, walking on the water. But, when they saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. "It is a ghost," they exclaimed, and cried out for fear. But Jesus at once spoke to them. "Courage!" he said, "It is I; do not be afraid!" read more.
"Master," Peter exclaimed, "if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water." And Jesus said: "Come." So Peter got down from the boat, and walked on the water, and went towards Jesus; But, when he felt the wind, he was frightened, and, beginning to sink, cried out: "Master! Save me!" Instantly Jesus stretched out his hand, and caught hold of him. "O man of little faith!" he said, "Why did you falter?" When they had got into the boat, the wind dropped. But the men in the boat threw themselves on their faces before him, and said: "You are indeed God's Son."

Looking up, and noticing that a great crowd was coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip: "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he meant to do.

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came up to him; and Jesus asked them: "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Master!" they answered. Verse ConceptsAbility, Of ChristDrawing Near To ChristEntering HousesAssentingBlindness