53 Bible Verses about Preaching, Effects Of

the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and great grace was upon them all.

thence they sailed for Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On their arrival they gathered the church together and reported how God had been with them, what he had done, and how he had opened a door into faith for the Gentiles.

But by God's grace I am what I am. The grace he showed me did not go for nothing; no, I have done far more work than all of them ??though it was not I but God's grace at my side. At any rate, whether I or they have done most, such is what we preach, such is what you believed.

Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel. And to preach it with no fine rhetoric, lest the cross of Christ should lose its power! Those who are doomed to perish find the story of the cross 'sheer folly,' but it means the power of God for those whom he saves. It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the sages, I will confound the insight of the wise.read more.
Sage, scribe, critic of this world, where are they all? Has not God stultified the wisdom of the world? For when the world with all its wisdom failed to know God in his wisdom, God resolved to save believers by the 'sheer folly' of the Christian message. Jews demand miracles and Greeks want wisdom, but our message is Christ the crucified ??a stumbling-block to the Jews, 'sheer folly' to the Gentiles, but for those who are called, whether Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the 'foolishness' of God is wiser than men, and the 'weakness' of God is stronger than men.

Thus when I came to you, my brothers, I did not come to proclaim to you God's secret purpose with any elaborate words or wisdom. I determined among you to be ignorant of everything except Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ the crucified. It was in weakness and fear and with great trembling that I visited you;read more.
what I said, what I preached, did not rest on the plausible arguments of 'wisdom' but on the proof supplied by the Spirit and its power, so that your faith might not rest on any human 'wisdom' but on the power of God.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: for he has consecrated me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim release for captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour.

During the course of the day of Pentecost they were all together, when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a violent blast of wind, which filled the whole house where they were seated. They saw tongues like flames distributing themselves, one resting on the head of each,read more.
and they were all filled with the holy Spirit ??they began to speak in foreign tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to express themselves. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. So when this sound was heard, the multitude gathered in bewilderment, for each heard them speaking in his own language. All were amazed and astonished. "Are these not all Galileans," they said, "who are speaking? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native tongue? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the districts of Libya round Cyrene, visitors from Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear these men talking of the triumphs of God in our own languages!"

While Peter was still speaking, the holy Spirit fell upon all who listened to what he said. Now the Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were amazed that the gift of the holy Spirit had actually been poured out on the Gentiles ??46 for they heard them speak with 'tongues' and magnify God. At this Peter asked, "Can anyone refuse water for the baptism of these people ??people who have received the holy Spirit just as we ourselves have?"read more.
And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain for some days.

what I said, what I preached, did not rest on the plausible arguments of 'wisdom' but on the proof supplied by the Spirit and its power, so that your faith might not rest on any human 'wisdom' but on the power of God.

and pray for me as well, that God may give me an opening for the word, to speak of the open secret of Christ for which I am in custody. Pray that I may unfold it as I should.

So now, O Lord, consider the threats of these men, and grant that thy servants may be perfectly fearless in speaking thy word, when thy hand is stretched out to heal and to perform miracles and wonders by the name of thy holy Servant Jesus." At their prayer the place of meeting was shaken, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit, speaking God's word fearlessly;

So the twelve summoned the main body of the disciples and said: "It is not desirable that we should drop preaching the word of God and attend to meals. Brothers, look out seven of your own number, men of good reputation who are full of the Spirit and of wisdom. We will appoint them to this duty, but we will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word."

Now in the local church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Symeon (called Niger) and Lucius the Cyrenian, besides Manaen (a foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, "Come! set me apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and let them go.read more.
Sent out thus by the holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. On reaching Salamis they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues, with John as their assistant.

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as in your own case,

For we have had the good news as well as they; only, the message they heard was of no use to them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers.

We thank God constantly for this too, that when you received the word of the divine message from us, you took it not as a human word but for what it really is, the word of God. It proves effective in you believers,

The men of Ninive will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for when Jonah preached they did repent, and here is One greater than Jonah.

The men of Ninive will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for when Jonah preached they did repent, and here is One greater than Jonah.

In those days John the Baptist came on the scene, preaching in the desert of Judaea, "Repent, the Reign of heaven is near." (This was the man spoken of by the prophet Isaiah: The voice of one who cries in the desert, 'Make the way ready for the Lord, level the paths for him.')read more.
This John had his clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather girdle round his loins; his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and the whole of Judaea and all the Jordan-district went out to him and got baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

the voice of one who cries in the desert, 'Make the way ready for the Lord, level the paths for him' ??4 John appeared baptizing in the desert and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; and the whole of Judaea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him and got baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

and he went into all the Jordan-district preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins ??4 as it is written in the book of the sayings of the prophet Isaiah, The voice of one who cries in the desert, 'Make the way ready for the Lord, level the paths for him. Every valley shall be filled up, every hill and mound laid low, the crooked made straight, the rough roads smooth; so shall all flesh see the saving power of God.'

(A number of those who heard them speak believed, bringing up their numbers to [about] five thousand.)

"Repent," said Peter, "let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; then you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. For the promise is meant for you and for your children and for all who are far off, for anyone whom the Lord our God may call to himself." And with many another appeal he urged and entreated them. "Save yourselves," he cried, "from this crooked generation!"read more.
So those who accepted what he said were baptized; about three thousand souls were brought in, that day.

Now for some time previous a man called Simon had been practising magic arts in the town, to the utter astonishment of the Samaritan nation; he made himself out to be a great person, and all sorts and conditions of people attached themselves to him, declaring he was that Power of God which is known as 'the Great Power.' They attached themselves to him because he had dazzled them with his skill in magic for a considerable time.read more.
But when they believed Philip, who preached the gospel of the Reign of God and the name of Jesus, they had themselves baptized, both men and women; indeed Simon himself believed, and after his baptism kept close to Philip, utterly astonished to see the signs and striking miracles which were taking place.

where the people were more amenable than at Thessalonica; they were perfectly ready to receive the Word and made a daily study of the scriptures to see if it was really as Paul said. Many of them believed, together with a large number of prominent Greeks, both women and men.

Now, brothers, I would have you know the gospel I once preached to you, the gospel you received, the gospel in which you have your footing, the gospel by which you are saved ??provided you adhere to my statement of it ??unless indeed your faith was all haphazard.

and after preaching the gospel to that town and making a number of disciples, they turned back to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to hold by the faith, and telling them that "we have to get into the Realm of God through many a trouble."

[Now to Him who can strengthen you by my gospel, by the preaching of Jesus Christ, by revealing the secret purpose which after the silence of long ages has now been disclosed and made known on the basis of the prophetic scriptures (by command of the eternal God) to all the Gentiles for their obedience to the faith ??27 to the only wise God be glory through Jesus Christ for ever and ever: Amen.]

he granted some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to shepherd and teach, for the equipment of the saints, for the business of the ministry, for the upbuilding of the Body of Christ, till we should all attain the unity of the faith and knowledge of God's Son, reaching maturity, reaching the full measure of development which belongs to the fulness of Christ ??14 instead of remaining immature, blown from our course and swayed by every passing wind of doctrine, by the adroitness of men who are dexterous in devising error;read more.
we are to hold by the truth, and by our love to grow up wholly into Him. For He, Christ, is the head, and under him, as the entire Body is welded together and compacted by every joint with which it is supplied, the due activity of each part enables the Body to grow and build itself up in love.

Since you have had the messiah, even Jesus the Lord, brought to you, lead your life in him, fixed and founded in him, confirmed in the faith as you have been taught it, and overflowing with thankfulness to God.

while they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the miracles that endorsed it. (b) But they gave Peter and his companions a brief account of all these injunctions. And, after that, Jesus himself sent out by means of them from east to west the sacred and imperishable message of eternal salvation.

Then he made a tour through the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Reign, and healing all the sickness and disease of the people. The fame of him spread all through the surrounding country, and people brought him all their sick, those who suffered from all manner of disease and pain, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics; he healed them all. And he was followed by great crowds from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and from across the Jordan.

Calling the twelve apostles together he gave them power and authority over all daemons as well as to heal diseases. He sent them out to preach the Reign of God and to cure the sick. And he told them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither stick nor wallet nor bread nor silver, and do not carry two shirts.read more.
Whatever house you go into, stay there and leave from there. Whoever will not receive you, leave that town and shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them." So they went out from village to village preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

These twelve men Jesus despatched with the following instructions, "Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town, rather make your way to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, tell men, 'The Reign of heaven is near.'read more.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out daemons; give without paying, as you have got without paying; you are not to take gold or silver or coppers in your girdle, nor a wallet for the road, nor two shirts, nor sandals, nor stick ??the workman deserves his rations. Whatever town or village you go into, find out a deserving inhabitant and stay with him till you leave. When you enter the house, salute it; if the household is deserving, let your peace rest on it; but if the household is undeserving, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your message, leave that house or town and shake off the very dust from your feet.

And summoning the twelve he proceeded to send them out two by two; he gave them power over the unclean spirits, and ordered them to take nothing but a stick for the journey, no bread, no wallet, no coppers in their girdle; they were to wear sandals, but not to put on two shirts, he said.read more.
Also, he told them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there till you leave the place. And if any place will not receive you and the people will not listen to you, shake off the very dust under your feet when you leave, as a warning to them."

So now, O Lord, consider the threats of these men, and grant that thy servants may be perfectly fearless in speaking thy word, when thy hand is stretched out to heal and to perform miracles and wonders by the name of thy holy Servant Jesus."

Philip travelled down to a town in Samaria, where he preached Christ to the people. And the crowds attended like one man to what was said by Philip, listening to him and watching the miracles he performed. For unclean spirits came screaming and shrieking out of many who had been possessed, and many paralytics and lame people were healed.read more.
So there was great rejoicing in that town.

At Iconium the same thing happened. They went into the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a great body both of Jews and Greeks believed. [Move to follow vs 3] But the refractory Jews stirred up and exasperated the feeling of the Gentiles against the brothers. Here they spent a considerable time, speaking fearlessly about the Lord, who attested the word of his grace by allowing signs and wonders to be performed by them.

When Jesus finished his speech, the crowds were astounded at his teaching; for he taught them like an authority, not like their own scribes.

Then he went down to Capharnahum, a town of Galilee, and on the sabbath he taught the people; they were astounded at his teaching, for his word came with authority.

They then entered Capharnahum. As soon as the sabbath came, he at once began to teach in the synagogue; and people were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them like an authority, not like the scribes.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. So when this sound was heard, the multitude gathered in bewilderment, for each heard them speaking in his own language. All were amazed and astonished. "Are these not all Galileans," they said, "who are speaking?read more.
Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native tongue? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the districts of Libya round Cyrene, visitors from Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear these men talking of the triumphs of God in our own languages!" They were all amazed and quite at a loss. "What can it mean?" they said to one another.

They were astonished to notice how outspoken Peter and John were, and to discover that they were uncultured persons and mere outsiders; they recognized them as having been companions of Jesus, but as they saw the man who had been healed standing beside them, they could say nothing.

Leaving there he went to his native place, followed by his disciples. When the sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and the large audience was astounded. "Where did he get all this?" they said. "What is the meaning of this wisdom he is endowed with? And these miracles, too, that his hands perform! Is this not the joiner, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters settled here among us?" So they were repelled by him.read more.
Then Jesus said to them, "A prophet never goes without honour except in his native place and among his kinsfolk and in his home." There he could not do any miracle, beyond laying his hands on a few sick people and curing them. He was astonished at their lack of faith. Then he made a tour round the villages, teaching.

and went to his native place, where he taught the people in the synagogue till they were astounded. They said, "Where did he get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Is this not the son of the joiner? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? Are not his sisters settled here among us? Then where has he got all this?"read more.
So they were repelled by him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet never goes without honour except in his native place and in his home." There he could not do many miracles owing to their lack of faith.

Jews demand miracles and Greeks want wisdom, but our message is Christ the crucified ??a stumbling-block to the Jews, 'sheer folly' to the Gentiles,

While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his soul was irritated at the sight of the idols that filled the city. He argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout proselytes and also in the marketplace daily with those who chanced to be present. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also came across him. Some said, "Whatever does the fellow mean with his scraps of learning'?" Others said, "He looks like a herald of foreign deities" (this was because he preached 'Jesus' and 'the Resurrection').read more.
Then taking him to the Areopagus they asked, "May we know what is this novel teaching of yours? You talk of some things that sound strange to us; so we want to know what they mean." (For all the Athenians and the foreign visitors to Athens occupied themselves with nothing else than repeating or listening to the latest novelty.) So Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe at every turn that you are a most religious people. Why, as I passed along and scanned your objects of worship, I actually came upon an altar with the inscription TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Well, I proclaim to you what you worship in your ignorance. The God who made the world and all things in it, he, as Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in shrines that are made by human hands; he is not served by human hands as if he needed anything, for it is he who gives life and breath and all things to all men. All nations he has created from a common origin, to dwell all over the earth, fixing their allotted periods and the boundaries of their abodes, meaning them to seek for God on the chance of finding him in their groping for him. Though indeed he is close to each one of us, for it is in him that we live and move and exist ??as some of your own poets have said, 'We too belong to His race.' Well, as the race of God, we ought not to imagine that the divine nature resembles gold or silver or stone, the product of human art and invention. Such ages of ignorance God overlooked, but he now charges men that they are all everywhere to repent, inasmuch as he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world justly by a man whom he has destined for this. And he has given proof of this to all by raising him from the dead." But on hearing of a 'resurrection of dead men,' some sneered, while others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."

As Felix had a pretty accurate knowledge of the Way, he remanded Paul, telling the Jews, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case." He gave orders to the officer to have Paul kept in custody but to allow him some freedom and not to prevent any of his own people from rendering him any service. Some days later Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and heard what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus;read more.
but when he argued about morality, self-mastery, and the future judgment, Felix grew uneasy. "You may go for the present," he said; "when I can find a moment, I will send for you" (though at the same time he hoped Paul would give him a bribe). So he did send for him pretty frequently and conversed with him.

But on hearing of a 'resurrection of dead men,' some sneered, while others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."

Some others sneered, "They are brim-full of new wine!"

But when the Jews of Thessalonica heard that Paul was proclaiming the word of God at Beroea as well, they came to create a disturbance and a riot among the crowds at Beroea too.

While they were speaking to the people, they were surprised by the priests, the commander of the temple, and the Sadducees, who were annoyed at them teaching the people and proclaiming Jesus as an instance of resurrection from the dead. They laid hands on them and, as it was now evening, put them in custody till next morning.

They conducted them before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked them, "We strictly forbade you to teach about this Name, did we not? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine! You want to make us responsible for this man's death!" Peter and the apostles answered, "One must obey God rather than men.read more.
The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you murdered by hanging him on a gibbet. God lifted him up to his right hand as our pioneer and saviour, in order to grant repentance and remission of sins to Israel. To these facts we bear witness, with the holy Spirit which God has given to those who obey him." When they heard this, they were so furious that they determined to make away with the apostles. But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin called Gamaliel, a doctor of the Law who was highly respected by all the people, got up and ordered the apostles to be removed for a few moments. Then he said, "Men of Israel, take care what you do about these men. In days gone by Theudas started up, claiming to be a person of importance; a number of men, about four hundred of them, rallied to him, but he was slain, and all his followers were dispersed and wiped out. After him Judas the Galilean started up at the time of the census, and got people to desert to him; but he perished too, and all his followers were scattered. So I advise you to-day to leave these men to themselves. Let them alone. If this project or enterprise springs from men, it will collapse; whereas, if it really springs from God, you will be unable to put them down. You may even find yourselves fighting God!" They gave in to him, and after summoning the apostles and giving them a flogging, they released them with instructions that they were not to speak about the name of Jesus.