Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 7:12 (New Living Translation) 12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. This is “The Golden Rule.” The good old King James Version uses the phrase, “Do unto others…” This is a Sunday School […]

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Matthew 8:13 (New Living Translation) 13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour. This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus healing the young servant of a Roman army officer. Jesus didn’t put His hands on the […]

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Matthew 8:34 (New Living Translation) 34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone. This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus’ miracle of sending demons into a herd of pigs and then having the pigs crash into the lake to die. In […]

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Matthew 12:25-26 (New Living Translation) 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. Jesus had just removed […]

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Esther 3:5-6 (New Living Translation) 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. 6 He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews […]

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Matthew 17:4 (New Living Translation) 4 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Here is a simple statement for the ages. Peter and a couple of fellow followers of Jesus are standing in the […]

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Matthew 4:19 (American Standard Version) 19 And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. This is a famous statement from Jesus to Peter and his brother Andrew. These brothers were commercial fishermen. Jesus told them that they would no longer seek fish from the sea but […]

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Matthew 11:20 (New Living Translation) 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. Folks don’t like this verse. I don’t “like” this verse and the ensuing discourse from Jesus. Jesus denounced people for not repenting […]

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Matthew 3:13-15 (Christian Standard Bible) 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” 15 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to […]

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Matthew 8:16-17 (New Living Translation) …and he (Jesus) healed all the sick. 17 This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses    and removed our diseases.” Told many centuries earlier, the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who would take away the sins of mankind, the Christ would […]

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