Contemplative Bible Reading

Hebrews 5:11 (New Living Translation11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. The writer is trying to teach spiritual matters. There is a great struggle here because the audience is “spiritually dull.” I love […]

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Hebrews 5:14 (New Living Translation) 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Some of us can recognize the difference between right and wrong. Let’s consider this. Those folks are (1) mature, (2) have been trained, and (3) have skill. […]

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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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1 Timothy 4:7 (New Living Translation) 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. Paul is providing advice to a younger evangelist named Timothy. A few sentences earlier, Paul mentions how there will be people teaching things that are not from God but are […]

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Hebrews 9:13-14 (New Living Translation) 13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For […]

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James 1:3 (New Living Translation) 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James is writing to Jews who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. These groups of believers had been scattered to the winds and found themselves in little groups here […]

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1 Timothy 1:13 (New Living Translation) In my insolence, I persecuted his (God’s) people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. This is Paul telling of his past sins and God’s mercy. Paul would smash into gatherings of Christians and kill and torture those he found. That is […]

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Galatians 1:4 (New Living Translation) 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. I hate to mention it, but we live in an evil world. Evil is everywhere. You don’t have to look far or long […]

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Galatians 1:9 (New Living Translation) 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. Paul writes to Christians in Galatia a long time ago. If anyone preaches something other than the Good News of Jesus, don’t listen to […]

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