Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 11:42 (New International Version) “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. The poor Pharisees. They meant so well and they […]

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Luke 10:38-42 (New International Version) 38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that […]

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Luke 10:21 (New International Version) At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. At this time, “the […]

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Luke 4:20-21 (New International Version) 20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus had returned to His home town of Nazareth. […]

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Leviticus 12:6-8 (New International Version) 6 ” ‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 7 He […]

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Luke 24:32 (New International Version) They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” This verse comes after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Two of His followers had walked and talked with him for a while. Once […]

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Luke 7:39 (New International Version) When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” This strikes me as an odd thing for the Pharisee to say about […]

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Luke 2:28-32 (New International Version) 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss[d] your servant in peace. 30For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory […]

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Song of Solomon 1:16 (New International Version) How handsome you are, my lover! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant. Verdant. People don’t use words like “verdant” anymore. I had to learn what this meant. Some definitions: Lacking experience or sophistication Naïve Unripe in knowledge or judgment Unsophisticated Raw Green As a verdant youth […]

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Deuteronomy 28 (New International Version) 58 If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God-… 64 Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations…65 There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, […]

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