Contemplative Bible Reading

John 7:24 (New Living Translation) Jesus replied,…”Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.” Sometimes the words of Jesus are so simple they smash me into a wall. The Bible is full of examples of how people judge on the surface by human and worldly standards. How childish am I? Go past the superficial, […]

[Read more →]

John 7:2-4 (New Living Translation) 2 But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3 and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show […]

[Read more →]

John 6:28-29 (New Living Translation) 28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” 29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” The crowds came to Jesus. They wanted to know what they could and should do. Jesus […]

[Read more →]

John 4:25-26  (The Living Bible) 25 The woman said, “Well, at least I know that the Messiah will come—the one they call Christ—and when he does, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!” These verses are part of the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the […]

[Read more →]

John 3:26 (The Living Bible) So they came to John and said, “Master, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River—the one you said was the Messiah—he is baptizing too, and everybody is going over there instead of coming here to us.” These are follows of John the Baptist. They are […]

[Read more →]

John 20:8 (New Living Translation) Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed Note the marvelous shift from physical sense to spiritual faith. The disciple saw (a physical sense) the empty tomb, but then believed (spiritual faith). There were many physical conclusions available given the physical […]

[Read more →]

John 14:26 (New Living Translation) But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. After Jesus ascended He sent the Holy Spirit. One thing the Holy Spirit would do for those who followed Jesus […]

[Read more →]

John 19:13-15 (New Living Translation) 13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to […]

[Read more →]

John 2:23-25 (New Living Translation) 23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. 25 No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like. Verse 24 is a great big OUCH […]

[Read more →]

John 1:9-13 (New Living Translation) 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who […]

[Read more →]