Contemplative Bible Reading

John 1:6-7 (New Living Translation) 6 God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. There are many different things to discuss about this sentence. One aspect is, how do we recognize this person has been sent by God? Do these persons […]

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John 11:25 (New Living Translation) Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Jesus is speaking to Martha. This is part of the (hi)story of the death of Lazarus and when Jesus raised him after being dead four days. While consoling Martha and before raising Lazarus, Jesus says the above almost as an […]

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John 3:1-2 (New Living Translation) 1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us…” Let’s take these sentences apart: Nicodemus is an educated Jewish […]

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John 2:1-2 (New Living Translation) 1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. One week ago I attended a wedding. One of my nieces married. It was fun. There was much […]

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John 7:25-26 (New Living Translation) 25 Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Festival of Shelters. At first, Jesus was […]

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John 4:39 (New Living Translation) 39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” Once there was a woman from the village of Sychar. This woman went to a well to draw water in the middle of the day. She didn’t associate much […]

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John 4:13-14 (New Living Translation) 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” Jesus is speaking to a woman sitting next to a well. […]

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John 5:8,11 (New Living Translation) 8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”…11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” This was the man who was at the pool at Bethesda. He had been lame for 38 years. Jesus healed the man […]

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John 4:48 (New Living Translation) Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” Jesus is about to perform another miracle of healing. Some people wouldn’t believe unless they saw something that convinced them (just like us today). What do we need to see to believe? Do you remember […]

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John 6:59-61 (New Living Translation) 59 He (Jesus) said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. 60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” 61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? […]

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