51 Bible Verses about Privileges

for who has distinguish'd thee above another? or what have you, that you did not receive? now if you did receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin contracted to a man; whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. and the virgin's name was Mary. the angel, upon his arrival, said to her; "Hail, favorite of heaven, the Lord is with thee: thou happiest of thy sex."read more.
Mary was surpriz'd at the voice of such an appearance, and wonder'd what the meaning of this salutation should be. but the angel said to her, "Mary, be not afraid: for you are the object of divine favour. you shall be now pregnant, and be delivered of a son, whom you shall name JESUS. he shall be great, he shall be the son of the most high. the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David. he shall reign over the house of Jacob, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Then said Mary to the angel, what shall this be without any intercourse with man? the angel answered her, "the holy spirit shall descend upon thee, and the power of the most high shall over-shadow thee: wherefore thy holy offspring shall be called the son of God. even your cousin Elizabeth, as old as she is, is become pregnant with a son: she, who was stiled barren, is now in her sixth month; for nothing is impossible to God." then said Mary, "behold the servant of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word." upon which the angel disappeared.

for by grace are ye saved, thro' faith (and that not from us: it is the gift of God) but not by works, so that no man can boast:

which I might do more justly than any other man can pretend to: being circumcised the eighth day, of the family of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew by descent, by sect a Pharisee. if zeal is to be regarded, I persecuted the church; if the integrity prescrib'd by the law, I am without reproach;read more.
these advantages I renounce for Christ, nay I think them disadvantages when put in competition with the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord: for whose sake I abandon all these things, and count them as straw, that I may gain Christ, and be his true disciple, not professing that justification, which is derived from the law, but that which is from the gospel,

who are Israelites; who had the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the form of divine worship, and the promises; who are the offspring of the patriarchs, and of whom as to the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

You will say then, hath God discarded his people? by no means. for I my self am an Israelite, of the posterity of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not discarded his people whom he formerly approv'd. don't you know what the scripture says of Elias? how he complain'd to God against Israel, in these words, "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I alone am left, and they seek my life also."read more.
but what said the oracle to him? "I have reserved to my self seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal." in like manner at this time there is also a remnant chosen by the divine favour; and if it be by favour, it is not upon the account of merit. for then mercy would not be mercy. "What then, hath not Israel obtained what he sought for?" no, but the chosen remnant have obtained it, and the rest are obdurate to this day, as it is written, "God hath given them up to a state of insensibility, so that their eyes could not see, and their ears could not hear." and David says, "let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a gin, and a recompence for their iniquity. let their eyes be darkned, so as not to see, and let their back be continually bowed down." You will say then, "were they suffer'd to stumble meerly for their ruin?" no: but that thro' their fall, salvation might be offer'd to the Gentiles, in order to provoke their emulation. now if their fall be to the advancement of the world, and the few converts among them bring in whole numbers of the Gentiles: how much more so will it be, when the Jewish body recover?

Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in Christ's kingdom. according as he had chosen us in himself before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, free from vice, and devoted to virtue. having predetermin'd to adopt us by Jesus Christ to be his children, according to the good pleasure of his own will,read more.
to display the glory of his grace, which has render'd us acceptable by his beloved son: who has by his blood obtained for us the redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace, out of the over-flowing treasures of his comprehensive wisdom and contrivance.

therefore, if any man be a christian, he is in a new creation: the old state of things is chang'd to one entirely new. Now this is all owing to God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath made us the ministers of this reconciliation; for it is God that has reconciled the world to himself, by Jesus Christ, by not imputing their sins to them; and hath committed to us the gospel of reconciliation.read more.
we then are ambassadors for Christ, and 'tis God who makes you the offers by us: we pray you in the name of Christ, to make your peace with God. for he hath made him who knew no sin to be a sin-offering for us, that we might be justified by God thro' him.

of which number we all have formerly been, leading our dissolute lives in gratifying the desires of our sensual imaginations: and were indeed obnoxious to the divine displeasure, as other. Gentiles were: then it was that God, who is rich in mercy, thro' his great love, wherewith he loved us, did raise us all, who were in that deadly state of sin, to life by Christ, for by grace ye are saved:read more.
he hath raised us up together, and made us partakers of his heavenly kingdom. that in the ages to come, he might shew the immense riches of his gracious kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus. for by grace are ye saved, thro' faith (and that not from us: it is the gift of God) but not by works, so that no man can boast:

who has deliver'd you from the state of darkness, and has translated you into the kingdom of his beloved son. It is by him, that we have obtain'd the redemption, even the remission of our sins:

for thro' him both of us have access by the same spirit to the father.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us access by faith to that degree of favour, we are in, by which we triumph in the hopes of divine glory.

Wherefore, my brethren, since by virtue of the blood of Jesus we have the liberty of entring into the holy of holies, by a new and living way which he has first open'd for us, thro' the veil, that is, thro' his flesh; and having an high priest, who is established over the house of God,read more.
let us draw near with sincerity, in full assurance of faith, having our consciences purified from guilt, and our bodies washed with pure water.

You do not approach to any thing corporeal, to scorching fire, to smoak, darkness, and tempest, nor to the sound of trumpets, and the voice which pronounc'd such words, that they who heard, intreated they might hear it no more. nor could they endure that threat, "if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned."read more.
and so terrible was the appearance, that Moses cry'd out, "I tremble with the fright." but you are come to mount Sion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable congress of angels, to the general assembly, the church of the first-born who are enroll'd in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the aspersion of that blood which cries for pardon, and not for vengeance as that of Abel.

and this is life eternal, to acknowledge thee to be the only true God, and Jesus to be the Messiah whom thou hast sent.

Then Jesus rais'd his voice, and said, he that believeth on me, does not so much believe on me, as on him that sent me. and he that contemplates me, contemplates him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me, might not abide in darkness.

Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man can come to the father, but by me. if you had known me, you would likewise have known my father: and from henceforth you shall know him, nay, you have seen him.

God sent forth his own son born of a woman, and subject to the law, to redeem those, who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. and because ye are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying Abba, that is, father;read more.
so that thou art no longer a bond servant, but a son: and if a son, then an heir of God thro' Christ.

as many as are actuated by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. for the spirit you have received is not servile to keep you still in fear; but it is the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, that is, father. the same spirit testifies to our spirit, that we are the children of God.read more.
and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; although we now suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

for you are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. for as many of you as have been baptized into christianity, have been invested as christians. there is now no distinction of Jew or Greek, of bond or free, of male or female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.read more.
and if you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's offspring, and his heirs by virtue of the promise.

have you forgot the exhortation which is address'd to you, as to children? "my son, despise not thou the chastning of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. for whom the Lord loveth, he chastises, and scourgeth every son whom he receives." if you are to endure chastisement, God treats you as his children: for where's the son whom his father does not chastise?read more.
but if you were exempted from that discipline which others are subject to, then are you bastards, and not sons. when our natural parents corrected us, we gave them reverence: is it not much more reasonable to be in subjection to the father of spirits, in order to have life? their discipline was temporary, and the effect of humour; whereas God chastises us for our advantage, to make us partakers of his holiness. 'tis true, all correction at first is far from appearing agreeable, yet afterward it produces the agreeable fruits of virtue in those who are exercised thereby.

and this they were destin'd to. but you are the chosen race, you are kings and priests, the holy nation, the peculiar people, that you might display his glory, who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: you, who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy,

Therefore now, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and domesticks of God's family, being built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, whereof Jesus Christ himself is the main stone of the angle: on which the whole structure rises with symmetry into a temple, consecrated by the Lord:read more.
who by his spirit has likewise made you a part of this divine mansion.

then addressing himself to his disciples in particular, he said, happy are they, who see what you see: for I assure you, that many prophets and princes have desired to see what you now behold, but they never saw it; and to hear what you have heard, which they never did.

And the disciples came, and said to him, why do you speak to them in parables? to whom he answered, because you are allowed to know the mysteries of the gospel-dispensation, but to them it is not allowed. for to him that uses what he has, shall be given, and he shall have abundantly: but from him that uses it not, shall be taken away, even what he hath.read more.
therefore speak I to them in parables: because they over-look what they see: and are inattentive to what they hear, neither will they comprehend. and in them is fulfilled that prophecy of Esaias, "by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." but happy are you that your eyes have sight; and that your ears have their hearing. for I declare unto you, that many prophets and just men have desired to see what ye see, and have not seen it: and to hear what ye hear, and have not heard it.

And when he was in private, the twelve, and some of his disciples asked him the meaning of the parable. he answered, you are admitted into the secret of the gospel-dispensation: but to unbelievers every thing is couch'd in parables; because, tho' they see, they will not perceive, and tho' they hear they will not understand: as if they were afraid of parting with their vices, in order to be pardoned.

But his disciples having ask'd him the meaning of this parable; he answered, the secret circumstances of the divine dispensation may be clearly revealed to you, but to others only in parables, so that they don't observe what they see, nor comprehend what they hear.

henceforth I do not treat you as servants; for the servant is unacquainted with his master's affairs: but I have treated you as friends; for what I have learnt of my father, I have communicated to you.

However, what we preach is wisdom, to those who are thoroughly instructed: yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who will soon come to nothing. but we explain that mysterious plan of divine wisdom, which God had contriv'd before the ages, for our glory: which none of the rulers of this age understood: for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.read more.
but, as it is written, "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God. for who knows the thoughts of a man, but the spirit of man which is in him? even so the thoughts of God no one can know, but the spirit of God. now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us.

'Twas this salvation, that employ'd the most profound enquiries of those, who predicted the dispensation that was to be in your behalf: when the spirit of Christ inform'd the minds of the prophets of his future sufferings, and of the glorious consequences, they were solicitous to know the circumstances of the times pointed at: and were answer'd, that it was not they, but we, who were concern'd in the events which they predicted, events which have been now represented to you by those, whom the holy spirit from heaven inspired to preach the gospel to you: a secret which the angels desire to penetrate into.

henceforth I do not treat you as servants; for the servant is unacquainted with his master's affairs: but I have treated you as friends; for what I have learnt of my father, I have communicated to you. it was not you that chose me, but I that chose you, and establish'd you, that your travels may be fruitful, and your fruit be lasting: so that whatever ye shall ask of the father for my sake, he will give it you.

and last of all, he was seen by me too, who am as it were an abortive; for I am the meanest of the apostles, not worthy the name of an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. it is by the divine favour that I am what I am: and his favour to me was not in vain; no, I laboured more than they all: yet it was not I, it was the divine favour which assisted me.

I have not desir'd to get from any one either silver, or gold, or apparel. you yourselves can witness, that what was necessary for myself and those who were with me, these very hands have supply'd. my constant example has shown you that the disabled should be assisted by your labours, remembring the words of the Lord Jesus, who said, "it is a greater happiness to give than to receive."

I must acquaint you, brethren, with the contribution which the churches of Macedonia have religiously made, who tho' labouring under great trial of affliction, and extreme poverty, have notwithstanding with exceeding cheerfulness contributed very liberally: being forward of themselves to the utmost of their power, (I bear them witness) yea, and beyond their power:read more.
earnestly intreating me to take the gift, and the charge of conveying it to the converts at Jerusalem: and in this they out-did my expectation; such was the divine pleasure, they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then made me an offer to go themselves to Corinth. I therefore desired Titus, as he had begun, to finish this contribution among you. that as you excel in every thing, in faith, in language, mystical knowledge, in all virtue, and in your affection to us; I hope you will excel too in this charitable disposition. I don't mean to prescribe to you, but that the zeal of others may show you are as sincerely well-affected. for you are sensible of the beneficence of our Lord Jesus Christ; powerful as he was, for your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might be made rich. in this I only advise you: it being for your credit, since you have not only begun to execute it, but you were the first that form'd the design a year ago. Pray then, dispatch this affair; as you readily undertook it, as readily perform it, to the best of your abilities. for what a man gives with a ready mind, according to his abilities, is well received; but not when he goes beyond his circumstances. my meaning is not, that you should be distress'd to relieve others, I only recommend an equality; that as your present sufficiency supplies their wants, their sufficiency may supply your occasions another way: and thus there will be an equality. as it is written, " he that had much, had nothing over, and he that had little, had no lack."

remember, " he who sows sparingly, shall reap also sparingly: and he who sows bountifully, shall reap also bountifully." let every man give as he is disposed in his own mind, without any regret or reluctance: for God loves a cheerful benefactor. and God is able to make every charitable gift redound to your advantage; that being always sufficiently supply'd in every thing, you may excel in every good work:read more.
as it is written, " he hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his liberality remaineth for ever." now he that furnishes seed to the sower, and bread for food, shall furnish and multiply what you sow, and increase the fruits of your liberality. so that being enriched in every thing, you may be continually beneficent to the glory of God by our thanksgiving.

Let men consider us, as the ministers of Christ, who dispense the divine mysteries. now it is required in a steward, that he be found faithful.

If then there be a servant, appointed by his master to take care of his family, who faithfully and prudently distributes their allowance according to the establishment: happy is the servant, who shall be found so employed, at his master's return. I tell you, he shall make him steward of all his estate.read more.
but if he be dishonest, and says to himself, my Lord delays coming, and shall pretend to assault his fellow-servants, and spend his time with sots: the master of that servant will come in a day when he least expects it, and at an hour he is not aware of; and shall turn him out of the family, and give him the reward due to such behaviour: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus answered, if there be a faithful prudent steward, appointed by his master to give his domesticks their stated allowance; happy is such a servant, whom his master at his return shall find so employ'd. I assure you, he will intrust him with the management of his whole estate.read more.
but if the servant should say within himself, my master delays his return; and fall a beating his fellow-servants, indulging himself in eating and drinking to excess. his master will return on a day he does not expect him, and a an hour he is ignorant of; he will separate him from the rest, and give him a treatment answerable to his infidelity. but the servant, who knows his master's will, and prepares not himself, nor executes his orders, shall receive many stripes. whereas he that does not know it, and does things worthy of chastisement, shall receive fewer stripes. for to whom much is given, of him shall much be required, and the more a man has been trusted, the greater will be the demand.

what! know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the holy spirit, which is in you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? for you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Confide in your guides, and be respectful: that they who are vigilant, as being accountable for your souls, may discharge themselves with cheerfulness, and not with anxiety, which would be to your prejudice.

When it was day the officers sent their serjeants to bid the jayler let the men go. so the jayler told Paul, the magistrates had order'd them to be discharg'd. depart then, said he, and go in peace. but Paul replied, they have publickly scourg'd us, who are Romans, without any trial, they have thrown us into jayl, and now do they give us a private discharge? no, let them come themselves and release us.read more.
the serjeants having reported what he said, to their officers, they began to be apprehensive upon hearing they were Romans. so they came, and by persuasions brought them out, and desired them to leave the city.

Then Paul directing himself to the council, thus said, "hitherto I have liv'd strictly conscientious, as God knows." at which the high priest Ananias order'd those that were near him to strike him on the face: which made Paul say, "may God strike thee, thou plaister'd wall: you sit to judge me according to law, and in defiance of the law you order me to be struck!"

Hear another parable: a certain landlord planted a vineyard, hedged it round, set up a wine-press in it, and built a tower, then lett it out to tenants, and went into a foreign country. and when the fruit-season came on, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive the fruits of it. but they seiz'd his servants, beat some, killed one, and stoned another.read more.
then he sent a greater number of servants, than at first: who met with the same treatment. but last of all, he sent his son, saying, they will reverence my son. but when the tenants saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir, come, let us kill him, and then seize on his inheritance. so seizing upon him, they turn'd him out of the vineyard, and slew him. when the master therefore of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? they answered, he will give those wretches no quarter, and will let out his vineyard to such as shall duly account for the profits thereof. Jesus reply'd, did ye never read in the scriptures, " that very stone which the builders rejected, is become the principal stone of the angle, this the Lord effected, and it is marvellous in our eyes." wherefore I declare to you, the gospel dispensation shall be taken from you, and given to a nation that shall make a proper use thereof.

Then Jesus address'd himself to them in this parabolical manner. a certain person planted a vineyard, made a fence about it, clear'd the way for a wine-press, built a tower, and committed it to the care of vine-dressers, while he was travelling abroad. at the time of vintage he sent his servant to the vine-dressers to receive the profits of his vineyard. but they seized on him, and beat him, and sent him home empty.read more.
after this he sent another servant to them, him they assaulted with stones and cudgels, and sent him back with contempt. then he sent another, whom they killed: and of several more, some they beat, some they killed. at last, having one only son, whom he loved, he sent him to them; surely, said he, they will reverence my son. but these husbandmen said to one another, this is the heir, come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be our own. so they seized upon him, and dragg'd him out of the vineyard, and killed him. now what will the master of the vineyard do? on his return, said they, he will destroy those vine-dressers, and give his vineyard to others.

Then he propos'd this parable to the people, a man planted a vineyard, let it out to husbandmen, and then went a travelling for some time. at vintage, he sent a servant to the husbandmen, to demand the profits of the vineyard. but they beat him and sent him away empty. again he sent another servant, him they likewise beat, insulted, and sent away empty.read more.
he still sent a third, whom they wounded and drove away. upon which the master of the vineyard said, what shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps his presence will engage their respect. but when the husbandmen saw him, they said to one another, this is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be our own. so they kill'd him, and threw him out of the vineyard. what punishment now will the master inflict upon them? he will come and destroy these husbandmen, and give his vineyard to others. but they, taking the hint, cried out, God forbid.

So it was when a man was going to travel into a foreign country, he called his servants, and delivered to them his stock: to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his respective ability, and then set out on his journey. now he that had received five talents, immediately employed them in trade, and gain'd five talents more.read more.
so he that had received two, gained likewise other two. but he that had received one, went to dig a hole in the ground, and hid his lord's money. after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them. accordingly he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents: besides those, there's five talents more, which I have gain'd. his lord said to him, well done, thou art an honest faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a small trust, I will give thee a much larger trust; go in and partake of thy master's diversions. he also that had received two talents, came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents: here are two other talents which I have gain'd besides them. his lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a small trust, I will give thee a much larger trust: go in and partake of your master's joy. then came he who had received the one talent, and said, Lord, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered: fear made me hide the talent under ground: but there you have what is your own. his lord answered and said unto him, thou vile slothful wretch, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not scatter'd: should not you then have lodged my money at the banker's, and so at my return I should have received my own with interest. here, take the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten. for he that makes use of what he has, shall have more; but if he makes no improvement thereof, it shall be taken from him. take then that worthless fellow, turn him out in the dark, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

a nobleman, said he, was going to travel to a foreign country, in order to have his kingdom confirm'd to him at his return. and he called ten of his servants, to whom he deliver'd ten pounds: improve that, said he, till I return. but he being hated by the citizens, after he was gone, they sent a deputation to court, to make this protest, "we will not have him for our king."read more.
upon his return, being confirm'd king, he order'd the servants, he had trusted with the money, to appear, and inform him, what improvement each of them had made. the first came and said, Lord, your one pound has gained ten more. he answer'd, honest servant, that's well: since your industry has made so much of so little, I give you the government of ten cities. then the second came, and said, Lord, your pound has produc'd five more. his master replied, you shall be governor of five cities. but another came and said, Lord, here's your money, which I laid up safe in a napkin. for I was in fear of you, knowing you to be a hard master, who exact what you never gave, and reap where you have never sown. wicked slave, said he, from your own mouth will I convict thee. "you knew I was a hard master, exacting what I never gave, and reaping where I never sowed: " why then did you not lodge my money in the bank, that on my return I might have drawn it out with interest? then he said to his attendants, take the one pound from him, and give it him, that gain'd ten. but they objected, Lord, he has already ten pounds: I tell you, said he, that to every one who improves, more shall be given: and he that makes no improvement, shall be stript of what he has. as for those enemies of mine, who would not have me for their king, bring them here, and slay them in my presence.