Contemplative Bible Reading

Acts 8:3 (New Living Translation) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. Saul, later to be the Apostle Paul, was trying to destroy this new group of persons who followed after Jesus of Nazareth. He was […]

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Acts 19:16 (New Living Translation) Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered. This describes another instance of what I consider the super-human creation. One man beat seven in a fight. The accomplishment here is diminished […]

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Acts 12:6-10 (New Living Translation) 6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on […]

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Acts 7:9-10 (New Living Translation) “These patriarchs were jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. And God gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. God also gave Joseph unusual wisdom, so that Pharaoh appointed […]

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Acts 8:1-4 (New Living Translation) Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and […]

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Acts 17:27-28 (New Living Translation) His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. Paul is speaking to the learned people of Athens. He discusses […]

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Acts 2:13 (New Living Translation) But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” Combine this verse with this phrase from verse 7: These people are all from Galilee Why of course. People from Galilee are always drunk in the middle of the morning. They must be the 33 A.D. equivalent […]

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Acts 10:2 (New Living Translation) He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. Read that description of a man. Read it several times. How would you describe that man? What comes to my mind is: He was a good man. He gave generously to the poor. He prayed to God regularly. Yes, […]

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Acts 2:37 (New International Version 2011) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” This verse comes from the Day of Pentecost. Peter is preaching what some call the first sermon. This is the critical point in any attempt […]

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Acts 26:1-3 (New International Version 2011) 1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 and […]

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