Thematic Bible: Universal

And the Holy Spirit and the bride [i.e., the church. See 21:9] say, "Come!" And the person who hears [this] should say "Come." And the person who is [spiritually] thirsty should come; [and] whoever wants to should come and drink the water of life without having to pay for it. Verse Concepts

who wants all people to be saved and come to a [full] knowledge of the truth. Verse Concepts

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Now go to the main crossroads of the highways and invite everyone you find there to the wedding reception.' Verse Concepts

Now on the last and greatest day of the Festival [of Tabernacles], Jesus stood up and spoke out, "If anyone is thirsty he should come to me for a drink. Verse Concepts

For there is no distinction [with God] between Jews and Greeks [i.e., Gentiles], for all have the same Lord, who is generous to all who appeal to Him [for help]. Verse Concepts

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One of them, a man named Agabus, stood up and indicated by [the direction of] the Holy Spirit that there was going to be a severe worldwide famine, which [actually] took place during the time that Claudius ruled. Verse Concepts

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Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them [for it]; should we not much rather submit to the Father of our spirits [i.e., God], so we can live [spiritually]? Verse Concepts

yet there is [only] one God to us, [and He is] the Father, from whom all things have come, and for whom we live. And [there is only] one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things have come, and through whom we live. Verse Concepts

For there are three who give their testimony [about Jesus]: Verse Concepts

And do not call any man on earth 'father,' [i.e., in a religious sense], for the [only] one who is your Father is in heaven. Verse Concepts

Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes, [indeed], of the Gentiles also, Verse Concepts

and one God and Father of all, who is over all and [works] through all and is in all [obedient believers]. Verse Concepts

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in order to be [true] children of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise on evil [as well] as on good people. He [also] sends rain on those who live right [as well] as on those who do not live right. Verse Concepts

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So then, every one of us [i.e., including Christians] will have to give an account of himself to God. Verse Concepts

And I saw dead people, the most important and the least significant ones, standing in front of the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life [Note: This refers to a record of those to whom God has granted never ending life]. And these dead people [i.e., who have now been resurrected] were judged according to their deeds, based on what was recorded in the books. Verse Concepts

And people from all the nations will be assembled in front of Him and He will separate them from one another, like a shepherd separating his sheep from the goats. Verse Concepts

For He has appointed a [certain] day when He will judge the people of the world according to [a standard of] true justice by the man [i.e., Jesus] whom He has appointed [as Judge, See II Tim. 4:8]. [And] He has given assurance to all people [that He will do this] by raising Jesus from the dead." Verse Concepts

This will be done on the day when God judges the secrets of men's [hearts] through Christ Jesus, according to [the teaching of] my Gospel. Verse Concepts

For we must all appear in front of the judgment bar of Christ, so that each one of us may receive what is due him for what he had done while in his [physical] body [i.e., on earth], whether it be good or bad. Verse Concepts

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Now this is [how God's] judgment [works]: The Light [See 1:5-9] has come into the world, but people loved darkness [i.e., sin] rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil. Verse Concepts

In doing this [i.e., practicing some of the requirements of the law of Moses], they demonstrate that these requirements are written in their hearts. Their conscience tells them this, and their thoughts alternately accuse them [of wrongdoing], or else endorse them [for doing right]). Verse Concepts

For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities of eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, [capable of] being perceived through the things that He has made. So, these people have no excuse [i.e., for not believing in Him]. Verse Concepts

[Now] the true Light, who enlightens all mankind, was [indeed] coming into the world [i.e., to earth]. Verse Concepts

who wants all people to be saved and come to a [full] knowledge of the truth. Verse Concepts

For there is no distinction [with God] between Jews and Greeks [i.e., Gentiles], for all have the same Lord, who is generous to all who appeal to Him [for help]. Verse Concepts

I have other sheep [also] which are not [presently] in this corral; I must lead them, too. They will hear my voice and become one flock [i.e., with the others], having one shepherd. [Note: This probably refers to believing Gentiles becoming God's people, along with the Jews]. Verse Concepts

For God loved the world [of sinners] so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that every person who believes in Him would not [have to] be destroyed, but have never ending life. Verse Concepts

who wants all people to be saved and come to a [full] knowledge of the truth. Verse Concepts

And the time will come when every person who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved' [i.e., whoever appeals to God through obedient faith in Christ]. Verse Concepts

So then, just as [God's] judgment came, condemning all people [to physical death] because of one sin [i.e., Adam's]; even so the free gift of being made right with God and [resulting in] life may be received by all people because of one man's [i.e., Christ's] act of righteousness. [Note: This "life" may refer to spiritual life now, or to being made alive in the resurrection, which would reverse the curse of physical death caused by Adam's sin]. Verse Concepts

The Lord is not slow about keeping His promise, like some people are, but is [simply] being patient with you, since He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but He wants everyone to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives]. Verse Concepts

For God's unearned favor has appeared, bringing salvation to all people [i.e., in the coming of Christ]. It instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly desires and to live sensible, righteous and godly lives in this present age,

And all mankind will see the salvation of God [i.e., become available to them]." Verse Concepts

For [Joel 2:32 says], "Every person who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [i.e., whoever appeals to God through obedient faith in Christ] Verse Concepts

"And I tell you, every person who acknowledges me in front of people [i.e., to be his Lord and Christ], the Son of man will also acknowledge him in front of God's angels. Verse Concepts

And the Holy Spirit and the bride [i.e., the church. See 21:9] say, "Come!" And the person who hears [this] should say "Come." And the person who is [spiritually] thirsty should come; [and] whoever wants to should come and drink the water of life without having to pay for it. Verse Concepts

but whoever drinks the water I give him will never get thirsty [again]. For the water I will give him will become in him [i.e., in his spirit] a spring of water, bubbling up and producing never ending life." [See John 7:38]. Verse Concepts

All the prophets have testified [in their writings], that it is through the name of Jesus that every person who believes in Him will receive the forgiveness of sins." Verse Concepts

Every person who believes that Jesus is the Christ [i.e., God's specially chosen one] has been [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God. And everyone who [continually] loves God, who did the conceiving, also [must continually] love the person whom God has [spiritually] conceived. Verse Concepts

And the Holy Spirit and the bride [i.e., the church. See 21:9] say, "Come!" And the person who hears [this] should say "Come." And the person who is [spiritually] thirsty should come; [and] whoever wants to should come and drink the water of life without having to pay for it. Verse Concepts

For there is no distinction [with God] between Jews and Greeks [i.e., Gentiles], for all have the same Lord, who is generous to all who appeal to Him [for help]. Verse Concepts

Then Peter began to speak. He said, "I perceive that God truly does not show favoritism toward anyone, Verse Concepts

Then He said to them, "You [men] go into the entire world and preach the good news to every person. Verse Concepts

For every person who asks will [certainly] receive; and the one who looks will [certainly] find; and to the person who knocks, the door will [certainly] be opened up. Verse Concepts

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Therefore, God also exalted Him to the highest position and gave Him the name [i.e., "Lord." See verse 11], which is superior to every [other] name. [This was] so that, in [honor of] the name of Jesus, everyone's knee in heaven, on earth and under the earth [i.e., all rational creatures] should bow [i.e., before God], and that everyone's mouth should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

For it is written [Isa. 45:23], "As surely as I am the living God, says the Lord, everyone's knee will bow before me, and everyone's mouth will confess to [or, praise] God." Verse Concepts

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Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan [See 2:9]; they claim to be Jews, yet they are not, but are lying. Watch, I will make them come and bow down at your feet [in respect] and [they will] know that I have loved you. Verse Concepts

O Lord, who will not fear [you] and honor your name, for only you are holy? [So], all the nations will come and worship in front of you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed." Verse Concepts

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Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them [for it]; should we not much rather submit to the Father of our spirits [i.e., God], so we can live [spiritually]? Verse Concepts

yet there is [only] one God to us, [and He is] the Father, from whom all things have come, and for whom we live. And [there is only] one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things have come, and through whom we live. Verse Concepts

For there are three who give their testimony [about Jesus]: Verse Concepts

And do not call any man on earth 'father,' [i.e., in a religious sense], for the [only] one who is your Father is in heaven. Verse Concepts

Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is He not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes, [indeed], of the Gentiles also, Verse Concepts

and one God and Father of all, who is over all and [works] through all and is in all [obedient believers]. Verse Concepts

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through [the action of] one man [i.e., Adam] and [physical] death through that sin, so [physical] death has spread to all people, because all people have sinned. [Note: This difficult passage (verses 12-21) seems to be saying that the entire human race must experience physical death because of Adam's sin (I Cor. 5:22), which is somehow considered to be everyone's sin. See Murray, pp. 180-187, for a thorough discussion]. Verse Concepts

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And just as it is destined for people to die one time, and [then] after that to be judged, Verse Concepts