12 Bible Verses about Apologetics

adore the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready to show with modesty and respect to every one that asks it, what ground there is for the expectations you have:

to level all the barriers they contrive for obstructing the divine doctrine, and to make their pride captive to the authority of Christ.

Be prudent in your conduct to those, who are not christians: and make the best of of every opportunity. let an air of modesty appear in all your discourse; and let it be seasoned with discretion, in making a proper reply, when you are call'd into question.

Now Stephen full of grace and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. when some out of the several synagogues, belonging to the freed men, to the Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and to those of Cilicia, and of Asia, came to dispute with Stephen. but as they were not able to withstand the force of that sublime knowledge which appeared in his discourse,

and try'd to gain upon the Jews and the Greek proselytes:

attach'd to the truth, that has been taught him, that he may be able to teach others sound doctrine, and to convince those who oppose it.

for he strenuously disputed with the Jews in publick, proving from the scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

Then Paul being plac'd in the middle of the Areopagus, said thus, "I observe, O Athenians, that you are in a manner too devout. for considering, as I pass'd along, the deitys, which you adore, I met with an altar that had this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. now that GOD whom you worship without knowing him, is the same that I denounce to you. the GOD who made the world and every thing therein, and is the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples erected by men:read more.
he receives no service from their officiousness: he is self-sufficient: it is he that gives to all their life and breath and every thing they have. he he has deduced all mankind from one parent, to inhabit the surface of the whole earth, having pre-establish'd the appointed periods, and the boundarys of their dominions: by which they might enquire, and by due reflection investigate the supreme being, although he be not far from every one of us: for in him we live, are moved, and do exist: even as some of your own poets have said, WE ARE EVEN HIS OFFSPRING. since then we are the offspring of God, we should not imagine that the Deity bears any resemblance to the form which Gold, or Silver, or Stone has receiv'd from human art and industry. God has been pleas'd to over-look this state of ignorance: but now he enjoins all men every where to repent: because he has fix'd the day, when he will judge in equity, by that man, whom he has appointed thereto: of which he has given full proof to all the world, by having raised him from the dead."

At length Paul went to the synagogue, where he spoke with great freedom, and for three months he conferr'd with them to persuade them of the truth of the evangelical kingdom. but some of them being such obdurate infidels as to inveigh against the institution before the populace, he retired, and taking the disciples with him, he instructed them daily in the school of one Tyrannus. this he continued for two years; so that the Jews and proselytes of that part of Asia heard the doctrine of the Lord Jesus.

three days after, Paul sent for the chief of the Jews: and when they were assembled, he said to them, "my brethren, tho' I have done nothing against the Jews, or against the customs of our fathers, I was made a prisoner at Jerusalem, and put into the hands of the Romans: who, after my examination, would have discharg'd me, as having done nothing that was capital. but the Jews opposing it, I was oblig'd to appeal to the emperor: not having however any design to accuse them.read more.
for this reason I desir'd to see and talk with you; it being for the expectation of Israel that I am subject to this chain." they reply'd, we have receiv'd no letter from Judea concerning you; nor have any of our brethren that are arrived, said any harm of you. but we should be glad to know your sentiments: for as to this sect, we are sensible it is every where inveigh'd against. Having therefore set him a day, they came in great numbers to his lodgings; where he explain'd and confirm'd the reality of the gospel-dispensation, from morning to night, enforcing what the writings of Moses and the prophets had affirm'd concerning Jesus. some believed what he had said, but others did not believe: so not being able to agree, they retir'd, upon Paul's having told them, that the holy spirit had very justly said to our fathers by the prophet Esaias, "go to this people and say, hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive. for the heart of this people is become gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and I should heal them." take notice therefore, that the offers of divine salvation are sent to the Gentiles, and they will receive them. [ having said this, the Jews went out, warmly debating it among themselves.] After this, Paul staid two whole years in a house he had hired, and gave access to all that visited him, preaching the kingdom of God, and instructing them in all things relating to the Lord Jesus Christ, with the utmost freedom, without being molested.

when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he try'd to associate himself with the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and could not be persuaded that he was a disciple. thereupon Barnabas took him with him to the apostles, and related to them how the Lord had appear'd to him on his journey, and had spoken to him, and how publickly Saul had preach'd at Damascus in the name of Jesus. then he convers'd freely with the apostles at Jerusalem:read more.
and he openly preach'd in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Hellenists, who therefore plotted against his life: which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him away to Tarsus.

But Peter standing up with the eleven, and raising his voice, said to them, ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and observe what I say. these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is but the third hour of the day. but this is the accomplishment of what was said by the prophet Joel,read more.
"it shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams: and on my servants, and on my handmaidens I will pour out of my spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy: and I will shew prodigies in the heavens, and signs on the earth; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and illustrious day of the Lord shall come. and then whoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved." ye men of Israel attend to what I say; Jesus of Nazareth was a man whom God distinguished among you, by miracles, by prodigies, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you your selves also know: him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by means of the wicked, have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having delivered him from the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be overpower'd by it. for David says concerning him, "I had the Lord always present before me, he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. therefore did my heart rejoice, my tongue was glad: and my body shall rest in hope. because thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, nor wilt thou give thine holy one a prey to corruption. thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy by thy presence." men and brethren, let me with assurance tell you of the patriarch David, who died and was buried here, his sepulchre being with us to this day: that, as he was a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him, to place the fruit of his loins upon his throne: foreseeing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, when he said, "that his soul was not lest in the grave, neither did his body undergo corruption."' 'tis this Jesus whom God hath raised up, of which we all are witnesses. therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the father the promise of the holy spirit, he has diffused that spirit, the effects of which ye now see and hear. for David is not ascended to heaven: yet he saith himself, "the Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool." therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, their hearts were struck with remorse, and they said to Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Peter replied, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy spirit. for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. and with many other discourses did he conjure and exhort them, to save themselves from that depraved generation. then they that embraced his doctrine, were baptized: and there were about three thousand converts made that very day.