Contemplative Bible Reading

Mark 2:27-28 (Holman Standard Christian Bible) 27 Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” The Sabbath is rest. It is God’s gift to man—rest for the weary. Jesus came to take away the sins […]

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Mark 2:28 (New Living Translation) So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath! Jesus said this about Himself. Most of those listening weren’t happy to hear it. It was blasphemy! This was not a joke. These people were learned and serious, and they came to the correct conclusion given what they knew. […]

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Mark 2:27 (New Living Translation) Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a gift from God (note, I didn’t write WAS a gift from God). God granted man rest one-seventh of the time. God […]

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Mark 10:46-48 (New Living Translation) 46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have […]

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Mark 4:41 (New Living Translation) The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” This is the reaction of the followers of Jesus. These men had been walking with Jesus daily for many months. Yet, they were terrified when they saw Him. Is the […]

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Mark 6:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, […]

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Mark 11:12 (New Living Translation) The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Jesus felt hunger in the earthly body that he occupied. I extend that to He would feel tired, hot, thirsty, and other human physical feelings. Go back to the forty days of fasting in the desert before being tempted […]

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Mark 9:38 (New Living Translation) John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” And so it began or so it continued. John, he is the culprit here but it could be me, divides people into them […]

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Mark 9:30-31a (New Living Translation) 30 Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, 31 for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. Jesus wanted more time so that He could teach his followers. As the pendulum swings in Christianity in this […]

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Mark 7:1-5 (New Living Translation) 1 One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3 (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over […]

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