26 Bible Verses about Convincing

So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you keep limping between two positions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." But the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred fifty men.read more.
Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under. And I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it. You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the god who answers by fire, he is God." All the people answered, "It is well said." Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, for you are the majority, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us." But there was no voice, nor any who answered. And they limped about the altar they had made. And it came about, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Maybe he is thinking about it, or he is busy, or he is on a trip, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." And they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with swords and spears, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the offering up of the offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and no response. Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name." And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two seahs of seed. And he arranged the wood, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it the second time. And he said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it the third time. And the water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water. It happened at the time of the offering up of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again." Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, he is God. The LORD, he is God."

The word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I give you." So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey across.read more.
Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried out, and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, "Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water; but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?"

To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen. Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.

When he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" He answered him, "Go up and prosper; and the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king." The king said to him, "How many times do I have to adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" He said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. The LORD said, 'These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.'"read more.
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?" Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. The LORD said, 'Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said one thing; and another said another. A spirit came out and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.' The LORD said to him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You will entice him, and will also prevail. Go out and do so.' Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you." Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you?" Micaiah said, "Behold, you will see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself." The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son. Say, 'Thus says the king, "Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace."'" Micaiah said, "If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me." He said, "Listen, all you people."

When he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" He said, "Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand." The king said to him, "How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" He said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. The LORD said, 'These have no master. Let them return every man to his house in peace.'"read more.
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?" Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. The LORD said, 'Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One spoke saying in this way, and another saying in that way. A spirit came out, stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.' "The LORD said to him, 'How?' "He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' "He said, 'You will entice him, and will prevail also. Go forth, and do so.' "Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and the LORD has pronounced disaster concerning you." Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you?" Micaiah said, "Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner room to hide yourself." The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; and say, 'Thus says the king, "Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace."'" Micaiah said, "If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me." He said, "Listen, you peoples, all of you."

I have sent also to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, 'Return now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers': but you have not inclined your ear, nor listened to me.

The children are obstinate and hardhearted. I am sending you to them, and you shall tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For Amos says, 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.'" Amaziah also said to Amos, "You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:read more.
but do not prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house."

But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, "Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" For this cause they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,read more.
"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them."

LORD, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed."

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, neither do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: for this people's heart has grown callous, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them.'

And when he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, that 'seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should return and be forgiven.'"

He said, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

He said, "Go, and tell this people, 'You hear indeed, but do not understand; and you see indeed, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed."

Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, "Is not this he whom they seek to kill? Look, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is the Messiah? However we know where this man comes from, but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he comes from."read more.
Jesus therefore called out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you do not know. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. But many in the crowd believed in him. They said, "When the Messiah comes, he won't do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?" The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Then Jesus said, "I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me. You will seek me, and won't find me; and where I am, you cannot come." The Jewish leaders therefore said among themselves, "Where will this man go that we won't find him? Will he go to the Diaspora among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What is this word that he said, 'You will seek me, and won't find me; and where I am, you cannot come'?" Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water." But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Some of the crowd therefore, when they heard these words, said, "This is truly the Prophet." Others said, "This is the Messiah." But some said, "What, does the Messiah come out of Galilee? Hasn't the Scripture said that the Messiah comes of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" So there arose a division in the crowd because of him.

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert." He arose and went; and behold, there was a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.read more.
The Spirit said to Philip, "Go near, and join yourself to this chariot." Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation, justice was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth." The eunuch answered Philip, "Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?" Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus. As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?" 38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died. He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.

For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah." Some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the prominent women.

He entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning the Kingdom of God.

Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?" Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds."

When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about the Kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.