Contemplative Bible Reading

Romans 8:38 (New Living Translation) And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. I love the words used in this translation of this familiar verse. God gives […]

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Romans 12:2 (New Living Translation) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. I love the wording of this verse in this translation. […]

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Romans 7:24 (American Standard Version) Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? I love the wonderful, horrible wording found in this translation. Paul calls himself a wretched man. One definition of wretched is in a very unhappy or unfortunate state The word “unfortunate” is an understatement. […]

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Romans 15:1 (New Living Translation) We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. In his letter to the Roman church, Paul has just finished discussing eating this and doing that. He discussed parts of the culture of the day that bring […]

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Romans 12:19-20 (New Living Translation) 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you […]

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Romans 12:21 (New Living Translation) Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Let’s try to reassess God’s advice here. Well, maybe let’s not. Don’t defeat evil—a negative—by removing it (another negative). Instead, defeat evil—a negative—by adding good (a positive). Perhaps it is better to be for something than to be against […]

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Romans 9:10-12 (New Living Translation) 10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. 11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but […]

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Romans 5:1-2 (New Living Translation) Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and […]

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Romans 1:22-23 (New English Translation) 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Imagine the fools: the are putting God into little statues of things they know like people, bird, […]

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Romans 1:20 (New Living Translation) For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. People know God exists. They may not know that name or […]

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