Even though reading Bible verses about not giving up won’t solve all your problems, they can inspire you to keep pushing through the tough times.

After all …

Who hasn’t felt weak in our faith when life knocks us around? It happens to all of us at some point, some of us more times than others.

Remembering to stay connected to our faith in good times helps us through when things are not so good.

These 35 bible verses about not giving up helps remind us to stay strong always.

1 Corinthians 9:24

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always;

pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Chronicles 15:7

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

2 Peter 3:8-9

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Timothy 4:17

But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

James 1:12

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Luke 18:1

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Philippians 1:6

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:12-13

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:32

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

You can always find great sources of Christian inspiration from the folks at ChurchSource.com! (affiliate link)

The post 35 Bible Verses About Not Giving Up to Help You Through the Tough Times appeared first on Late Faith.

After all …

In the Catholic faith and many other Christian denominations, confirmation is an affirmation and a sealing of young person’s devotion to Christianity.

The ceremony surrounding confirmation can take on a variety of forms, but all involve the recitation of Bible verses, and prayer.

What follows are more than one hundred confirmation Bible verses that often accompany these ceremonies.

1 Corinthians 1:7-8

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 John 1:5-10

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

We love because he first loved us.

If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 Peter 4:1-19

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do–living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.

However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

1 Timothy 1:5

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.

They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.

We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers–and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight,

holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.

Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,

set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2 Corinthians 13:1

This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”

I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others,

since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.

For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?

And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection.

This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority–the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

2 Corinthians 13:5

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?

And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection.

This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority–the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the saints send their greetings.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Peter 1:10-11

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,

and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 1:6

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,

who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.

On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me.

May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

Acts 15:27

Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing.

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter.

The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.

After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them.



But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”

Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them,

but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.

They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,

but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Acts 16:31

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household.”

Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.

The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God–he and his whole family.

When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.”

The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”

The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.

They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.

After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left.

Acts 19:2-6

and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”

On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Acts 2:1-13

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?

Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome

(both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs–we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Acts 8:14-17

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:17

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord–Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here–has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,

and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him,

but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.

But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.

When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.

There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.

“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.

All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.

About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.

Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.

He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.

This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,

since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

Intro paragraph

Deuteronomy 19:15

One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a crime,

the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time.

The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother,

then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from among you.

The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.

Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles,

when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing.

Assemble the people–men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns–so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.

Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

The LORD said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the Tent of Meeting.

Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent.

And the LORD said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.

On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?’

And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.

“Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.

When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their forefathers, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.

And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.”

So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”

After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end,

he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD :

“Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.

For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the LORD while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die!

Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to testify against them.

For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall upon you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD and provoke him to anger by what your hands have made.”

And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

Deuteronomy 4:29

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him.

For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?

Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived?

Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other.

From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.

Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength,

to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.

Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.

Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.

Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan,

to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if he had unintentionally killed his neighbor without malice aforethought. He could flee into one of these cities and save his life.

The cities were these: Bezer in the desert plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

This is the law Moses set before the Israelites.

These are the stipulations, decrees and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt

and were in the valley near Beth Peor east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites as they came out of Egypt.

They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan.

This land extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Siyon (that is, Hermon),

and included all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.

Ephesians 1:13-14

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–

not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 4:30

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Esther 9:29

So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.

And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes–words of goodwill and assurance-

to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation.

Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.

God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day.

And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.”

So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so.

God called the expanse “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning–the second day.

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.

God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:31

Hebrews 13:5

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them.

We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.

And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.

Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.

For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.

I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,

equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter.

I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

Greet all your leaders and all God’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.

Grace be with you all.

Hebrews 2:3

how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.

But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor

and put everything under his feet?In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”

And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil–

and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.

For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement forthe sins of the people.

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 6:1-20

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,

instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

And God permitting, we will do so.

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,

if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.

But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case–things that accompany salvation.

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,

saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”

And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Isaiah 12:2

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.

Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

“See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff.

You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.

I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together,

so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

“Present your case,” says the LORD. “Set forth your arguments,” says Jacob’s King.

“Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come,

tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.

But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; he who chooses you is detestable.

“I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes– one from the rising sun who calls on my name. He treads on rulers as if they were mortar, as if he were a potter treading the clay.

Who told of this from the beginning, so we could know, or beforehand, so we could say, ‘He was right’? No one told of this, no one foretold it, no one heard any words from you.

I was the first to tell Zion, ‘Look, here they are!’ I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good tidings.

I look but there is no one– no one among them to give counsel, no one to give answer when I ask them.

See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion.

James 2:1-26

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.

If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”

have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?

Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,

because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

You may say, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”

but this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your countrymen who did not go with you into exile-

yes, this is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like poor figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.

I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and an object of cursing and horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them.

For they have not listened to my words,” declares the LORD, “words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the LORD.

Therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: “I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes.

Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘The LORD treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.’

For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and in my name have spoken lies, which I did not tell them to do. I know it and am a witness to it,” declares the LORD.

Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite,

“This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah,

The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the LORD; you should put any madman who acts like a prophet into the stocks and neck-irons.

So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?

He has sent this message to us in Babylon: It will be a long time. Therefore build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’ “

Zephaniah the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet.

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

“Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the LORD says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him, and has led you to believe a lie,

this is what the LORD says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good things I will do for my people, declares the LORD, because he has preached rebellion against me.’ “

John 10:27-28

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

John 12:1-50

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,

“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. ” It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.

You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,

for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.

The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,

“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.

Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.

So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.

They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.

Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.

Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.

But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”

He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

“He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn–and I would heal them.”

Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;

for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.

When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me.

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.

There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.

For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.

I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Intro paragraph

John 14:1-31

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–

the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

“All this I have spoken while still with you.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me,

but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

You are my friends if you do what I command.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

This is my command: Love each other.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.

He who hates me hates my Father as well.

If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.

But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

John 15:9-10

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

John 20:22

And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:31

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:5

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.

Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized.

(This was before John was put in prison.)

An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.

They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan–the one you testified about–well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.

You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’

The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

He must become greater; I must become less.

“The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.

He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.

The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.

For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

John 8:12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.

You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.

But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.

I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”

This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.”

“Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been claiming all along,” Jesus replied.

“I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”

They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.

So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.

The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.

I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do the things Abraham did.

As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.

You are doing the things your own father does.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?

He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”

“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.

I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.

I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death.

Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.

Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

“You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 8:31-32

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:

“Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.’ “

But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,

“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: ‘The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.’

Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers

until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.

Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses.

Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”

Luke 11:28

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.

The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.

See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.

Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”

When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.

But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.

Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?

But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.”

One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.

So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.

Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’

Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,

from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions,

waiting to catch him in something he might say.

Luke 17:21

nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”

Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.

Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.

For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.

But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.

People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.

But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything.

Remember Lot’s wife!

Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”



“Where, Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”

Mark 16:20

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Matthew 16:19

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Matthew 17:20

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”



When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.

They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

“Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes–from their own sons or from others?”

“From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him.

“But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Matthew 21:22

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

John’s baptism–where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’

But if we say, ‘From men’–we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”

So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

” ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.

When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

“The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.

Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’

So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ” ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.

They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

Matthew 22:37

Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

“What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied.

He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

” ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ‘

If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”

No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 5:3-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Intro paragraph

Matthew 6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 7:20

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,

because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Numbers 27:18-23

So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.

Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence.

Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.

He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly.

Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses.

Philippians 1:7

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.

God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel

without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved–and that by God.

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,

since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 4:13

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.

Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;

for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.

Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.

I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings.

All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 30:5

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

“Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD ?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

“Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will pay for it.

“There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;

those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;

those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;

those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.

“The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:

the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’

“The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.

“There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:

the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.

“This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

“Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food,

an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;

locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;

a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

“There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:

a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;

a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army around him.

“If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hand over your mouth!

For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”

Psalm 118:24

Psalm 119:106

Psalm 23:1

Psalm 24:1-10

Psalm 27:1

Psalm 34:8

Psalm 37:5-6

Psalm 46:1

Psalm 55:22

Revelation 1:1-20

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

who testifies to everything he saw–that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,

and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father–to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,

and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,”dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.

His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.

His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.

In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Romans 5:5

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned–

for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law.

Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,

so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:16

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope

that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

15 Essential Biblical Texts

The post 100+ Confirmation Bible Verses to Help Seal Commitment to Faith appeared first on Late Faith.

For just about as long as people have been praying to God and exalting the Lord Jesus, we have also been singing to and about their glory.

After all, what more beautiful and fitting tribute could we give God and his only son than to lift our voices not just in prayer, but in beautiful, triumphant song.

With that in mind, here are ten amazing songs about the love of God that are sure to fill your heart with joy.

The Love of God by MercyMe

This beautiful song takes us through a brief reminder of how God’s love manifests — he gave his son to save us from the sin that began with Adam and Eve.

Reckless Love by Cory Asbury

This powerful tune reminds us that God was there with us, guiding us and those we love, before there even was an us.

He was always there, and always will be.

Unending Love by Hillsong Worship

More than any treasure on earth, God’s love is the precious force that lifts us up and makes us whole. This sweeping and moving song reminds of this powerful love and the duty we have to seek it above all else, and to return it as best we can.

God is Love by Ali Auburn

This stirring and sometimes chilling song is a plea to God to help the singer be a better person — stronger, more understanding, better able to withstand slings and arrows without retaliation.

With a voice that’s reminiscent of Jewel, but with a country twinge, Ali Auburn delivers a powerful original spiritual.

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman

This haunting 2011 melody is backed by a chorus that could very well number 10,000 (OK, probably not really … but it’s voluminous and stirring).

Another song that connects you with the Holy Spirit and helps you revel in His glory.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United

Another haunting and stirring song, with an invocation for God to help the speaker/singer reach deeper, reach higher to do his will.

Perfect Love (Mary’s Song) by Darlene Zschech

This video combines scenes from The Passion of the Christ with a beautiful song about the coming and sacrifice of Jesus to remind us of the ultimate sacrifice God made in the name of his love for us.

Goodness Of God by Bethel Music

This powerful song has a strong folk rock vibe, with lyrics that extol the steadfastness of God’s love and goodness, and professing our love back to our creator. A beautiful tribute to God and Jesus.

God So Loved by Hillsong Worship

A simple but beautiful song praising God and the love he bestowed upon us by sacrificing his only son to offer us salvation. This tune is part of an album called There Is More put out by Hillsong Worship.

Nobody Loves Me Like You by Chris Tomlin

“Nobody loves me like you love me, Jesus” is the refrain that runs throughout this song, and it’s a fitting entry in our list here.

In fact, it’s really what this list is all about — celebrating the divine love that stands above all others.

15 Essential Biblical Texts

The post 10 Songs About the Love of God to Fill Your Heart appeared first on Late Faith.

Not all Christian quotes will apply to every life situation, but it’s tough to beat the wisdom of those who walk the word every day when you need a little inspiration or guidance.

With that in mind, here are 200-plus Christian quotes that you can come back to again and again when you need a little boost.

The Quotes

“There is no one who is insignificant in the purpose of God.” —Alistair Begg

“This is our time on the history line of God. This is it. What will we do with the one deep exhale of God on this earth? For we are but a vapor and we have to make it count. We’re on. Direct us, Lord, and get us on our feet.” —Beth Moore

“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’” —Billy Graham

“Your potential is the sum of all the possibilities God has for your life.” —Charles Stanley

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” —Chuck Swindoll

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.” —Corrie Ten Boom

“God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“We gain strength and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face…we must do that which we think we cannot.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” —Francis Chan

“God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.” —Hudson Taylor

“I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking God to do His work through me.” —Hudson Taylor

“You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read.” —John MacArthur

“Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. What was once foolishness to us-a crucified God-must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.” —John Piper

“Remember who you are. Don’t compromise for anyone, for any reason. You are a child of the Almighty God. Live that truth.” —Lysa Terkeurst

“If you can’t fly, then run, If you can’t run, then walk, If you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm.” —Matt Chandler

“A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her. Max Lucado” —Max Lucado

“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile” —Max Lucado

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” —Mother Teresa

“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.” —Randy Alcorn

“God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go.” —Tony Evans

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” —1 John 4:10-12

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” —1Timothy 6:12

“Any faith that must be supported by the evidence of the senses is not real faith.” —A.W. Tozer

“I’m not afraid of the devil. The devil can handle me – he’s got judo I never heard of. But he can’t handle the One to whom I’m joined; he can’t handle the One to whom I’m united; he can’t handle the One whose nature dwells in my nature.” —A.W. Tozer

“Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.” —A.W. Tozer

“The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us.” —A.W. Tozer

“We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.” —A.W. Tozer

“Always, everywhere God is present, and always He seeks to discover Himself to each one” —A.W.Tozer

“The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” —Abraham Lincoln

“I am fallen, flawed and imperfect. Yet drenched in the grace and mercy that is found in Jesus Christ, there is strength” —Adam Young

“Whoever is spared personal pain must feel himself called to help in diminishing the pain of others. We must all carry our share of the misery which lies upon the world.” —Albert Schweitzer

“There is no one who is insignificant in the purpose of God.” —Alistair Begg

“He said Love…as I have loved you. We cannot love too much.” —Amy Carmichael

“We may have done what the devil said we did, but we are NOT who the devil says we are!” —April Cofield Essix

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us” —Augustine

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” —Augustine of Hippo

“This is our time on the history line of God. This is it. What will we do with the one deep exhale of God on this earth? For we are but a vapor and we have to make it count. We’re on. Direct us, Lord, and get us on our feet.” —Beth Moore

“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion; it is like a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.” —Billy Graham

“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.” —Billy Graham

“I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right.” —Billy Graham

“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.'” —Billy Graham

“The will of God will not take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us.” —Billy Graham

“The gospel declares that no matter how dutiful or prayerful we are, we can’t save ourselves. What Jesus did was sufficient.” —Brennan Manning

“The sinners to whom Jesus directed His messianic ministry were not those who skipped morning devotions or Sunday church. His ministry was to those whom society considered real sinners. They had done nothing to merit salvation. Yet they opened themselves to the gift that was offered them. On the other hand, the self-righteous placed their trust in the works of the Law and closed their hearts to the message of grace.” —Brennan Manning

“Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done.” —C. S. Lewis

“God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.” —C.S. Lewis

“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” —C.S. Lewis

“The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” —C.S. Lewis

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” —C.S. Lewis

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” —C.S. Lewis

“God hears your every thought, whether you dress it up with ‘Thee’ and ‘Thou’ or not.” —Catherine Richmond

“The Bible is the greatest of all books; to study it is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.” —Charles C. Ryrie

“It is not great faith, but true faith, that saves; and the salvation lies not in the faith, but in the Christ in whom faith trusts… It is not the measure of faith, but the sincerity of faith, which is the point to be considered.” —Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“Your potential is the sum of all the possibilities God has for your life.” —Charles Stanley

“Just keep asking yourself: What would Jesus not do?” —Chuck Palahniuk

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” —Chuck Swindoll

“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.” —Corrie Ten Boom

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” —Corrie ten Boom

“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” —Corrie ten Boom

“Let God’s promises shine on your problems.” —Corrie ten Boom

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.” —Corrie Ten Boom

“You will find it is necessary to let things go, simply for the reason that they are too heavy.” —Corrie ten Boom

“Good work is giving to the poor and the helpless, but divine work is showing them their worth to the One who matters.” —Criss Jami

“Sometimes you must stand still in order to get moving to where God wants you to go.” —D.A. McBride

“If God is your partner, make your plans BIG!” —D.L. Moody

“Whatever makes men good Christians; makes them good citizens.” —Daniel Webster

“Radical obedience to Christ is not easy… It’s not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than enough for us.” —David Platt

“God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face…we must do that which we think we cannot.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” —Elisabeth Elliot

“If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. It is we, of course, to whom things look ‘little’ or ‘big’.” —Elisabeth Elliot

“Work is a blessing. God has so arranged the world that work is necessary, and He gives us hands and strength to do it. The enjoyment of leisure would be nothing if we had only leisure. It is the joy of work well done that enables us to enjoy rest, just as it is the experiences of hunger and thirst that make food and drink such pleasures.” —Elisabeth Elliot

“The way of Jesus cannot be imposed or mapped — it requires an active participation in following Jesus as he leads us through sometimes strange and unfamiliar territory, in circumstances that become clear only in the hesitations and questionings, in the pauses and reflections where we engage in prayerful conversation with one another and with him.” —Eugene H. Peterson

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” —Francis Chan

“The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His.” —Francis Chan

“True faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God’s fidelity to His Promises.” —Francis Chan

“We never grow closer to God when we just live life. It takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.” —Francis Chan

“When you are running toward Christ, you are freed up to serve, love, and give thanks without guilt, worry or fear. As long as you are running, you’re safe.” —Francis Chan

“Turn around and believe that the good news that we are loved is better than we ever dared hope, and that to believe in that good news, to live out of it and toward it, to be in love with that good news, is of all glad things in this world the gladdest thing of all. Amen, and come Lord Jesus.” —Frederick Buechner

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” —Galatians 3:28-29

“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.” —Hans Urs von Balthasar

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.” —Hebrews 13:2

“The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.” —Helen Keller

“When we are securely rooted in personal intimacy with the source of life, it will be possible to remain flexible without being relativistic, convinced without being rigid, willing to confront without being offensive, gentle and forgiving without being soft, and true witnesses without being manipulative.” —Henri J.M. Nouwen

“God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.” —Hudson Taylor

“There is no other way to determine the difference between the will of God and the crafts of satan… Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life… The Holy Spirit of God is the Comforter…” —Israelmore Ayivor

“If God called us to a task, He will then qualify us for the job.” —Jack Hyles

“Success is on the same road as failure; success is just a little further down the road.” —Jack Hyles

“If you measure your life by what you own, the cavern of your heart will never be filled.” —James D. Maxon

“Who should we be trying to make the proudest? Our family? Our friends? Our teachers or bosses? What about the one who molded us out of the earth itself, who formed us like clay, and instilled within us the very breath of life that shaped the universe?” —James D. Maxon

“Jesus is the starving, the parched, the prisoner, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the dying. Jesus is the oppressed, the poor. To live with Jesus is to live with the poor. To live with the poor is to live with Jesus.” —Jean Vanier

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” —Jim Elliot

“Don’t let a temporary period of being uncomfortable keep you from a permanent blessing. Yes, it takes discipline. Yes, it’s uncomfortable. But your destiny is at stake.” —Joel Osteen

“God doesn’t take you in a straight line. There are twists and turns. It may not happen the way you thought, but the disappointments, the bad breaks are all a part of God’s plan.” —Joel Osteen

“It takes courage to be different. It takes courage to not compromise. People will try to make you feel weak because you don’t go with the majority. The truth is you’re not weak, you’re strong.” —Joel Osteen

“Life is too short to let what happened in the past keep you from the great things God has in your future.” —Joel Osteen

“People have enough people pushing them down, pointing out their faults. Why don’t you be the one to push them up, see the best in them, and help them get free?” —Joel Osteen

“Quit worrying about what everybody thinks. When you come to the end of life, you’re not going to stand before people and give an account of your life, you’re going to stand before God.” —Joel Osteen

“Take the limits off of yourself. You will never rise higher than your thinking. Create a great vision for your life.” —Joel Osteen

“The only power people have over you is the power you give them. They don’t determine your value. They can’t lessen your self-worth.” —Joel Osteen

“The scripture says in James 1:19, Be quick to listen and slow to speak. If you’ll pause for a moment and let your emotions calm down, you’ll make better decisions.” —Joel Osteen

“You have a destiny to fulfill. You have an assignment to accomplish. Don’t waste your valuable time on something that’s not moving you toward your purpose.” —Joel Osteen

“You may have been through disappointments, life has thrown you a curve, but you have to get your fire back. God didn’t bring you this far to leave you. Your greatest days in your health, your relationships, your career, are still in front of you.” —Joel Osteen

“You may have big problems, but we serve a big God. Quit worrying. God is saying all is well.” —Joel Osteen

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” —John 10:10

“I realized that all my life, my values were based upon typical middle-class American values: hard work, doing good, living well, owning things, following the rules & being the best I can be… but God clearly says, ‘those are not MY values. I value justice, mercy, and humility.’„” —John Green

“As long as you are living, you will face problems. But you serve a God who solves problems.” —John Hagee

“Contrary to what you might hear today, Jesus Christ is still the King of kings and Lord of lords and He is totally in control.” —John Hagee

“God can part the Red Sea for you, but you have to walk into it to make it happen.” —John Hagee

“God has given you an anointed future with unlimited potential. Get happy about it.” —John Hagee

“God knows how to take you to your destiny. Trust Him and follow Him to it.” —John Hagee

“Happiness is controlled by circumstances, but the joy of the Lord thrives in spite of your circumstances.” —John Hagee

“If you woke up this morning and didn’t see your name in the obituary column, praise the Lord.” —John Hagee

“Stop worrying about what you aren’t and start being happy about who you are.” —John Hagee

“Today, you might be facing big trouble, but know that you serve a bigger God and everything will be alright.” —John Hagee

“When you start going through life saying I can, you will! It’s that simple.” —John Hagee

“Worry is like a rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but it will not accomplish anything. Believe that God can give you provision at a moment’s notice, because He can.” —John Hagee

“You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read.” —John MacArthur

“The goal of prayer is to live all of my life and speak all of my words in the joyful awareness of the presence of God. Prayer becomes real when we grasp the reality and goodness of God’s constant presence with ‘the real me.’ Jesus lived his everyday life in conscious awareness of his Father.” —John Ortberg Jr.

“But whatever you do, find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life.” —John Piper

“God created me – and you – to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion—namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.” —John Piper

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” —John Piper

“It was becoming clearer and clearer that if I wanted to come to the end of my life and not say, ‘I’ve wasted it!’ then I would need to press all the way in, and all the way up, to the ultimate purpose of God and join him in it. If my life was to have a single, all-satisfying, unifying passion, it would have to be God’s passion.” —John Piper

“Life is wasted if we do not grasp the glory of the cross, cherish it for the treasure that it is, and cleave to it as the highest price of every pleasure and the deepest comfort in every pain. What was once foolishness to us—a crucified God—must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.” —John Piper

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” —John Wesley

“Anytime God seems to have put you in a position where there is no way you can win your battles, remember Gideon and go forward even if you feel afraid, knowing that the real battle belongs to the Lord.” —Joyce Meyer

“Focusing on God’s promises instead of the world’s problems is the best way to overcome fear.” —Joyce Meyer

“If your happiness is based on things or having your way all the time, then you won’t be happy very long. Be thankful for what God has done for you and what you have now, so you can enjoy your everyday life while you’re waiting for unanswered prayers to be answered.” —Joyce Meyer

“Peace is so important. It’s a gift God gives us, and it grows in us just like fruit grows on trees—with time and nurturing. The key to living in peace begins with pursuing God and the peace only He can give.” —Joyce Meyer

“Spending time with God is the key to our strength and success in all areas of life. Be sure that you never try to work God into your schedule, but always work your schedule around Him.” —Joyce Meyer

“The missed opportunities of the past are nothing compared to the fresh opportunities in the present. With God’s help, you can begin to maximize each new moment God gives you, and you don’t have to wait another moment to get started.” —Joyce Meyer

“We don’t think there’s something wrong with one-year-old children because they can’t walk perfectly. They fall down frequently, but we pick them up, love them, bandage them if necessary, and keep working with them. Surely our heavenly Father can do even more for us than we do for our children.” —Joyce Meyer

“We may not always understand why God is dealing with our need the way He is, but our part is to continue trusting Him.” —Joyce Meyer

“When fear knocks on your door, send faith to answer. Fear is a feeling that has only the power we give it. You can feel fear and still do anything you know you need to do, even if you do it afraid.” —Joyce Meyer

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” —Kevin Max

“Jesus first, others next, and yourself last spells J-O-Y.” —Linda Byler

“And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” —Luke 11:9-10

“Remember who you are. Don’t compromise for anyone, for any reason. You are a child of the Almighty God. Live that truth.” —Lysa Terkeurst

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” —Mark 9:23

“I’ve learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.” —Martha Washington

“Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.” —Martin Luther

“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” —Martin Luther

“A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“I have decided to stick to love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.” —Martin Luther King Jr.

“The greater your knowledge of the goodness and grace of God on your life, the more likely you are to praise Him in the storm.” —Matt Chandler

“Don’t be dependent on man, because they change like the wind. Depend on the Lord, and know that He is faithful to keep His Word.” —Matthew Hagee

“Don’t whine, but shine, for every trial doesn’t come to stay. They come to pass.” —Matthew Hagee

“It takes more courage to be humble than it does to be prideful.” —Matthew Hagee

“Money will never give you eternal life. Fame will never give you eternal life. Only Jesus Christ will give you eternal life.” —Matthew Hagee

“When you face affliction, take heart for the Bible promises that the Lord will deliver the righteous from their afflictions.” —Matthew Hagee

“You don’t decide what you are. You are what God created you to be; a person fearfully and wonderfully made.” —Matthew Hagee

“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.” —Max Lucado

“Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again.” —Max Lucado

“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile” —Max Lucado

“Jesus tends to his people individually. He personally sees to our needs. We all receive Jesus’ touch. We experience his care.” —Max Lucado

“The Bible is the story of two gardens: Eden and Gethsemane. In the first, Adam took a fall. In the second, Jesus took a stand. In the first, God sought Adam. In the second, Jesus sought God. In Eden, Adam hid from God. In Gethsemane, Jesus emerged from the tomb. In Eden, Satan led Adam to a tree that led to his death. From Gethsemane, Jesus went to a tree that led to our life.” —Max Lucado

“To lead the orchestra, you have to turn your back on the crowd.” —Max Lucado

“We may speak about a place where there are no tears, no death, no fear, no night; but those are just the benefits of heaven. The beauty of heaven is seeing God.” —Max Lucado

“If you obey God with your whole heart, you’ll usually scare off the folks who want you to obey them.” —Meg Moseley

“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done.” —Mother Teresa

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” —Mother Teresa

“I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, ‘How many good things have you done in your life?’ rather he will ask, ‘How much love did you put into what you did?” —Mother Teresa

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” —Mother Teresa

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” —Mother Teresa

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” —Mother Teresa

“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” —Mother Teresa

“We will be judged by I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.” —Mother Teresa

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” —Mother Teresa

“Hungry for love, He looks at you. Thirsty for kindness, He begs of you. Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you. Homeless for shelter in your heart, He asks of you. Will you be that one to Him?” —Mother Teresa,

“Jesus’s resurrection is the beginning of God’s new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord’s Prayer is about.” —N.T. Wright

“When we learn to read the story of Jesus and see it as the story of the love of God, doing for us what we could not do for ourselves – that insight produces, again and again, a sense of astonished gratitude which is very near the heart of authentic Christian experience.” —N.T. Wright

“We have never preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love, of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into sickles for work.” —Oscar A. Romero

“If you can see it, you can achieve it. God helps those who help themselves. Power is in the act of humility.” —Patricia Amis

“Avoid trivial pursuits. You are a child of God, destined for glory, and called to do great things in His Name. Do not waste your life on hobbies, sports, and other recreational pursuits. […] Employ the time of your youth in developing the character and skills necessary to be a useful servant of God.” —Paul David Washer

“Music originated from God and was created solely for his worship, his glory, and his pleasure.” —Pedro Okoro

“If your life is Christ, then your death will be only more of Christ, forever. If your life is only Christlessness, then your death will be only more Christlessness, forever. That’s not fundamentalism, that’s the law of non-contradiction.” —Peter Kreeft

“We sinned for no reason but an incomprehensible lack of love, and He saved us for no reason but an incomprehensible excess of love.” —Peter Kreeft

“Power, no matter how well-intentioned, tends to cause suffering. Love, being vulnerable, absorbs it. In a point of convergence on a hill called Calvary, God renounced the one for the sake of the other.” —Philip Yancey

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” —Philippians 1:6

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 3:14

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:19

“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss. He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.” —Randy Alcorn

“Having the answers is not essential to living. What is essential is the sense of God’s presence during dark seasons of questioning.” —Ravi Zacharias

“Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken.” —Rich Mullins

“As long as you do things for God, you are a Hall of Famer in heaven’s list.” —Rick Warren

“Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you. Don’t waste your pain; use it to help others.” —Rick Warren

“God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop our character. In fact, he depends more on circumstances to make us like Jesus than he depends on our reading the Bible.” —Rick Warren

“Other people are going to find healing in your wounds. Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts.” —Rick Warren

“The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.” —Rick Warren

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” —Rick Warren

“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.” —Rick Warren

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” —Romans 8:1

“Are you worrying about something God has already worked out?” —Steven Furtick

“Don’t fear failure. Fear faithlessness. Don’t fear attack. Fear apathy. Don’t fear rejection. Fear regret.” —Steven Furtick

“Don’t let your lack of confidence become the death of your calling.” —Steven Furtick

“Faith is believing BEFORE what will only make sense AFTER.” —Steven Furtick

“God will call you outside of your comfort, not your competency.” —Steven Furtick

“Great moves of God are usually preceded by simple acts of obedience.” —Steven Furtick

“It would be a shame for God to want to do more and for you to settle for less.” —Steven Furtick

“Your rejection in one season can lead to your destiny in the next.” —Steven Furtick

“The gifts of the Master are these: freedom, life, hope, new direction, transformation, and intimacy with God. If the cross was the end of the story, we would have no hope. But the cross isn’t the end. Jesus didn’t escape from death; he conquered it and opened the way to heaven for all who will dare to believe. The truth of this moment, if we let it sweep over us, is stunning. It means Jesus really is who he claimed to be, we are really as lost as he said we are, and he really is the only way for us to intimately and spiritually connect with God again.” —Steven James

“Never make a permanent decision about a temporary situation.” —T.D. Jakes

“Sometimes what makes us insecure and vulnerable becomes the fuel we need to be overachievers. The antidote for a snakebite is made from the poison, and the thing that made you go backward is the same force that will push you forward.” —T.D. Jakes

“When you begin to realize that your past does not necessarily dictate the outcome of your future, then you can release the hurt. It is impossible to inhale new air until you exhale the old.” —T.D. Jakes

“The prime reason the Savior personally acts as the gatekeeper of the celestial kingdom is not to exclude people, but to personally welcome and embrace those who have made it back home.” —Tad R. Callister

“Christ literally walked in our shoes.” —Tim Keller

“God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go.” —Tony Evans

“Remember as you go about your day that you may be the only Jesus some of your friends, neighbors, and family will ever see.” —Wanda E. Brunstetter

“Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong.” —Watchmen Nee

“Let this encourage those of you who belong to Christ: the storm may be tempestuous, but it is only temporary. The clouds that are temporarily rolling over your head will pass, and then you will have fair weather, an eternal sunshine of glory. Can you not watch with Christ for one hour? ” —Williams Gurnall

“Continuous effort — not strength nor intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential.” —Winston Churchill

“Start your child’s day with love and encouragement and end the day the same way.” —Zig Ziglar

“No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

The post 200+ Christian Quotes to Inspire and Enlighten appeared first on Late Faith.

While the Bible is serious business and lays a map for your life (and eternity) if you open your eyes and heart to it, that doesn’t mean you have to be serous while learning The Good Book.

When you’re ready to make your scripture fun again, you’re going to want to check out the “Pass the Bible” game.

What’s “Pass the Bible”?

Glad you asked …

Pick a Verse

Each round of “Pass the Bible” is built around a particular Bible verse, so you’ll need to have one handy. Several, if you want to play multiple rounds.

A few points to consider when choosing a verse:

• You’re going to be writing out each word on a separate card (see below), so you might want to stick with shorter verses. This partially depends on how big your group is.
• Consider your audience … if you’re working with young kids and trying to teach them the basic tenets of scripture, you might want to pick verses that get to the heart of the matter, like Titus 3:5 (“…he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…”).
• Feel free to pick verses that fit your group’s situation: current holiday, ongoing sermon series, life situations, etc.

Setting Up

Now that you have chosen your verse, it’s time to set up for the game. Here’s how to do it:

• Write each word of the verse on a separate index card.
• Lay out the words in order and attach them to a whiteboard or pin board, or spread them out on a table that everyone can see.
• Turn one word face down so no one can see it, and leave the others face up.
• Have your group sit in a circle or around a table. If you’re working with children or adventurous adults, they can sit on the floor.
• Have one member of your group sit in the middle of the circle.
• Have one member of your group, who is part of the circle, hold the Bible.

Playing the Game

To begin the game, the person in the center says, “Go!”.

The first group member passes the Bible counterclockwise (right) to the next person in the group, who does the same, and so on and so on.

Once the book has made it all the way around the circle, your center “caller” can call “Stop!” at any time. Whoever is holding the Bible when the call is made becomes the “guesser.”

The guesser passes the Bible to his right, and then has until the book comes back to him to guess the missing word in the verse.

If they get it right, they win.

If they don’t get the right answer in time, the person to their right becomes the guesser and play continues.

Some Ideas

Here are a few ideas for expanding and polishing up “Pass the Bible”:

• Let the winner choose which word to turn over next (younger children who don’t memorize well), or which verse to use next.
• Give the winner the cards as a prize.
• Play again, turning over a different card.
• Play again, with an entirely new Bible verse.
• Use the verse as a point of discussion, either before or after the game. Or both.

—

If you’re looking for a light and fun way to learn some Bible verses and bond with your fellow Christians, the “Pass the Bible” game is hard to beat.

Why not grab a few friends and give it a try right now?

15 Essential Biblical Texts

The post Pass the Bible: A Fun Bible Game for Kids of All Ages appeared first on Late Faith.

And, honestly, this may seem like an unimportant question as you embark on your Bible studies — after all, when you start reading Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia, you’re probably not concerned with how many chapters are in the book.

You just dig in and go.

But reading the Bible, at least for most people, is not like reading other books. One chapter doesn’t necessarily lead you directly to the next. Instead, you’ll likely wind your way through the text in one of several nonlinear paths depending on your experience with the Good Book and your goals at the moment.

That’s why it might be helpful to have a roadmap, such as a 6-month Bible reading plan, a 1-year Bible reading plan, or even a 3-year Bible reading plan.

It’s also why you might be interested to know how many chapters there are in the Bible. That information will help you plan out your own reading schedule, no matter what that may look like.

So, here is the breakdown …

The Old Testament is broken down into five major divisions made up of 39 books (Protestant version — the Catholic Bible contains 46 Old Testament books) for a total of 929 chapters.

The New Testament is broken down into five divisions of 27 books with a total of 260 chapters.

In total, then, there are 1189 chapters in the Protestant Bible.

Happy planning, reading, and worshiping!

God bless.

15 Essential Biblical Texts

The post How Many Chapters Are There in the Bible? appeared first on Late Faith.

All of the sudden, you are filled with hope where none existed before.

Your everyday struggles seem almost trivial, and you trip through your days with a lightness you haven’t known since childhood.

And, most likely, you have an insatiable thirst to learn more about the Bible.

Leave your email address below to receive more inspirational messages like these, right in your inbox.

All of this is super exciting, but it can also be confusing — where do you go for information, and how do you get started?

Fortunately for us, living as we do in the electronic age, we can find the guidance we need in the form of Bible study lessons with just a few clicks of the mouse. And, thanks to resources like the ones below, we can even download our favorite guides for offline use.

Without further delay, then, here are 11 wonderful websites where you will find free Bible study lessons in downloadable PDFs.

Happy studying, and God bless!

Bible Studies from Pator Ken L. Birks

Ken Birks is an ordained pastor from the Sacramento, CA, area who has dedicated much of his adult life to teaching the Word of God. Sowing the Seeds of Faith is his teaching ministry, and he maintains a comprehensive website featuring resources of all sorts for those looking to learn more about the Bible or to teach others about Christ.

Pastor Birks’ Bible Study page offers up more than 30 different lessons in PDF and Word formats, spanning topics from Baptism to Daniel’s 70-day prophecy.

A resource that’s definitely more than worthy of your time and consideration.

Check out the lessons here.

Bible Study Lessons

Bible Study Lessons is an entire website devoted to free Bible resources of all types: courses, workbooks, commentaries, eBooks, and others.

All — or at least most — of the lessons here are available in PDF format, and the site presents a structured, logical plan for you to follow.

For instance, if you load the home page and scroll down to the “Menu of Courses” section, you’ll see the first course titled, “Course #1: The Gospel of Mark.” Click that link, and you’ll find ten lessons, each in HTML and PDF format, and each with a corresponding quiz.

You could spend days or weeks on this site and not run out of Bible learning material!

Check out the lessons here.

Berean Bible Society – 170 Bible Lessons

The Berean Bible Society was founded in Preakness, NJ, in 1940 with a mission to help believers better understand the word of God. Their teachings are based on a steadfast belief in the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone.

Though they have moved their headquarters several times and are currently based in Germantown, WI, Berean has never wavered from its mission.

One Hundred and Seventy Bible Lessons or Sermon Outlines is a massive 227-page PDF document featuring, as the title indicates, close to 200 lessons to follow.

Joy of Living Bible Studies – Sample Studies

Joy of Living Bible Studies is another website devoted to teaching the Bible, with intended audiences spanning all age groups and eight languages. They offer copious amounts of paid material but also provide generous sample readings for free.

On their Sample Lessons page, for example, you will find over 20 lessons for adult learners, a large helping of youth lessons, and samplings from other languages, including German, Japanese, Nepali, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili.

Check out the lessons here.

Attitudes of the Heart from Calvary Baptist Church

Calvary Baptist is a church that focuses on traditional worship in building a diverse congregation in a family-friendly environment. In particular, they put a deliberate emphasis on the actual Word of God and the attitudes they believe that the Holy Spirit wants all Christians to develop and live.

Attitudes of the Heart is a series of 14 free Bible studies that teach about these attitudes with lessons like Faith, Obedience, Love, Joy, Unity, and Humility.

There is plenty here to learn, think about, and pray about, and these lessons will keep you engaged for weeks (at least).

Check out the PDFs here.

Topical Bible Studies from the Church of Christ in Zion, Illinois

The Church of Christ in Zion, Illinois, is a nondenominational congregation of Christian worshipers who don’t subscribe to any religious doctrine except the Word of God and Jesus as our savior. The Church of Christ holds as its mission to present the stories of Bible in context with the history and culture of the times in which they happened and to provide believers an avenue for communion with other believers.

Although the Zion branch of the Church of Christ is a physical church with regular services, they also maintain a strong web presence with tons of free resources available to anyone with an internet connection.

Zion’s Bible Class Books page offers nearly 40 individual lessons across both Testaments of the Bible as well as extra materials dealing with topics like the history of Christianity and the Church of God, the Godly man, and the principles of teaching God’s Word to others.

There is enough information here to get you started on just about any Bible topic that interests you, and each lesson is comprehensive and well-written.

Check out the Bible studies here.

PDF Bible Study Outlines from Send the Light Ministries

Send the Light Ministries is a fundamental Christian church based in the Philippines who believe strongly in the inerrancy and infallibility of the word of God as presented in the Holy Bible. They are dedicated to spreading that word to Filipinos all around the globe. Part of that effort involves maintaining a robust and deep-content website filled with resources to help new believers and Bible teachers — of all sorts — alike.

Of particular interest to us today as we seek portable resources for learning the Bible are the ten lessons offered on the PDF Bible Study Outlines page. Topics range from the Pearl to Animals to Bible paradoxes and are sure to engender new avenues of Christian thought as you continue down your Bible learning pathway.

Check out the Bible study outlines here.

“Study Your Bible” from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) was founded in 1936 in response to the changes wrought in mainstream USA Presbyterian Churches through what OPC dubs “theological liberalism” — the departure from historical Christian doctrines such as the virgin birth and the authority of scripture.

Of course, several years of work generally precede the full maturity of any movement, and that was the case with the OPC. Today, the church brings some of that history to life by offering a PDF version of  “Study Your Bible,” a  109-page booklet written in 1934 by Edward J. Young and subtitled, “A Self Study Course for Bible Believing Christians.”

If you’re interested in a straightforward approach to Bible study in the traditions that shaped our grandparents’ and great (great?) grandparents’ understanding of the word of God, this guide is hard to beat.

Check out “Study Your Bible” here.

100 Bible Lessons by Alban Douglas

The Ministerial Care and Study System (MCSS Online) was established to harness the power of the internet in spreading the word of God around the world. Like Send the Light Ministries, the Philippines is a primary focus area for MCSS Online, but their website is accessible to people just about anywhere.

There are copious resources on the site and it’s well worth your effort to explore a bit, but one document in particular provides a tremendous amount of information and study material under a single cover — “100 Bible Lessons by Alban Douglas.”

Here you’ll find studies that begin with a discussion of the existence of God and continue all the way through to issues of modern morality.

Check out this huge guide here.

PDF Bible Classes from Kingdom Living 

Kingdom Living is a comprehensive blog run by Matt Dabbs, who tabs the site simply, “Reflections on life as a disciple of Jesus Christ.” That ethos shines through in everything that Matt writes, which often takes the form of Bible study tips that he publishes on a regular basis.

Nowhere is Matt’s passion for spreading the Word more evident than in a post titled, “60,000 PDF Bible Class & Small Group Downloads,” where he details the (you guessed it) nearly 60,000 PDF documents that visitors had downloaded as of October 2, 2012. Yes, more than five years ago! The mind boggles at what that number might be now.

And it’s no wonder, considering that Matt provides access to more than 900 lessons encompassing north of 3000 total pages of learning material. What a great resource for all of us trying to learn more about the Gospel, whether we’re new believers or not!

Check out the entire suite of downloads here.

Beginning with Christ from Topical Bible Study Lessons

There is nothing fancy about the Topical Bible Study Lessons website, but it’s hard to beat the sheer volume of free materials available to help you in your Bible studies, particularly if you work within a small group. With page after page of lessons targeted to young people, college students, and adults, this site can guide just about anyone on their path toward a better understanding of God’s word.

While much of the material is presented in Word documents, you can convert those to PDFs once downloaded if you wish.  The site does offer some pre-formatted PDFs, too, if that is your preferred delivery method. A great example is the 58-page “Beginning With Christ” suite of lessons that leads you through some of the most common questions that arise in being a Christian today.

Check out all of the Topical Bible Study Lessons here.

15 Essential Biblical Texts

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