Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 27:1 (New Living Translation) Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. This verse is from the (hi)story of the crucifixion of Jesus. We look back on those who had Jesus arrested and executed with all sorts of […]

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Mark 6:49-51 (New Living Translation) 49 but when they saw him (Jesus) walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” 51 Then he […]

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Luke 14:1 (New Living Translation) One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. The people were consumed with thoughts of Jesus—this fellow from Nazareth who walked around talking to people and doing things that were not believable if you […]

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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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Mark 5:18-20 (New Living Translation) 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man […]

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Matthew 16:21-22 (New Living Translation) 21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on […]

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Mark 5:22-23 (New Living Translation) 22 Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 23 pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” Jairus is […]

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2 Timothy 2:24 (New Living Translation) A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Servants of God must be able to teach. Pretty plain statement here. “I’m not a school teacher. I don’t know how to teach.” Someone should […]

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Malachi 1:7-8 (New Living Translation) …“You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. 8 When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased?… A long time ago in a prior millennium, we had this saying—Sunday best. We […]

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2 Timothy 4:5a (New Living Translation) But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Paul is dictating a letter to Timothy. He is encouraging Timothy to tell people about Jesus, the Christ or Messiah, the one appointed to take away all our sins. In the preceding lines, Paul warns Timothy that people will […]

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