Contemplative Bible Reading

Acts 9:15-16 (New Living Translation) 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” God is conversing with Ananias […]

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Acts 1:17 (New Living Translation) Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us. Much is written about Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus. There is much speculation about his eventual state in the greater scheme of things. Let’s consider this one sentence. Peter is talking. He admits that Judas was on […]

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Acts 17:16-17 (New Living Translation) 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. 17 He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened […]

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Acts 10:1-4 (New Living Translation) In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius…One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said. Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. Cornelius was one […]

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Acts 7:57-59 (New Living Translation) 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they […]

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Acts 6:15 (New Living Translation) At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s. How did Stephen appear in this verse? Whatever it was, everyone was staring at him. I guess is appearance was remarkable in some way. The rest of the verse states […]

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Acts 5:42 (New Living Translation) And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah blah blah. NOT. What the followers of Jesus were doing was radical. It was dangerous—deadly dangerous as some were executed for this. Here […]

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Acts 2:38 (New Living Translation) Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This may be the most familiar verse in the Bible to […]

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Acts 7:20-21 (New Living Translation) 20 “At that time Moses was born—a beautiful child in God’s eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months. 21 When they had to abandon him, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and raised him as her own son. These verses are from Stephen giving his defense for preaching […]

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Acts 13:39a  (New Living Translation) Everyone who believes in him (Jesus) is declared right with God… Pretty simple, huh. This is yet another example of how brevity and clarity often go together. Why is it that we make this so complicated? Perhaps to show how smart I am. God, help me to remove myself and […]

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