Contemplative Bible Reading

Ephesians 2:10 (New Living Translation) 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Paul is writing to a group of Christians long ago in a place called Ephesus. To many folks, being a Christian means “don’t […]

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Luke 22:2 (New Living Translation) 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction. Those in positions of religious authority were figuring. What would they do? First, these are good people in difficult positions. They put their lives at stake for […]

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2 Peter 2:7-8 (New Living Translation) 7 But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. 8 Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. […]

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1 John 2:7-8 (New Living Translation) 7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this […]

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Jude 1:23 (New Living Translation) 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. The writer is encouraging followers of God to show mercy while hating. Whoa. I guess that is possible, but there is […]

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Luke 22:63-64 (New Living Translation) 63 The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” This is part of the (hi)story of the crucifixion of Jesus. This incident of mocking Jesus tells us much about prophets and prophesying and […]

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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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Ephesians 1:15-16 (English Standard Version) 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, Paul is writing to a group of Christians in Ephesus. Paul thanks God […]

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Acts 22:16 (New Living Translation) 16 What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’ In this verse, Paul is retelling the story of how he came to follow Jesus as the Christ. Ananias is talking to Paul. He tells Paul […]

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2 Corinthians 3:16 (New Living Translation) 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. The verses before this describe the lack of mental understanding and the lack of emotional feeling of God’s people as a veil. There was a veil that covered their minds and covered their hearts when the […]

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