Contemplative Bible Reading

Luke 2:52 (New Living Translation) Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. This verse describes a mostly unknown part of the life of Jesus. What did Jesus do from about age 13 to about age 30? We don’t know much. This sentence gives us one glimpse […]

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Acts 14:16-17 (New Living Translation) 16 In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, 17 but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.” Paul is talking to a group of […]

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2 Peter 2:1 (King James Version) But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Let’s go back to the King James Version for today’s version […]

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Ephesians 2:20 (New Living Translation) Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. There is some old saying that has a thousand variations about “standing on others’ shoulders, not on others’ toes.” Of course, most old sayings go back to the […]

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1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 (New Living Translation) We don’t need to tell them about it, for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. Paul and his fellow missionaries are writing to the Christians in Thessaloníki (I think that’s how […]

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2 Corinthians 10:3 (New Living Translation) We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. Paul writes to the Christians at Corinth long ago. In this short sentence, Paul states two simple and significant facts: (1) We (followers of Jesus Christ) are human. This is great. We are created by God in the […]

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1 John 3:7-8 (New Living Translation) 7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. […]

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2 Corinthians 10:4 (New Living Translation) 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. The writer is telling the readers in Corinth about some of the ways that God has made Christians different (if we accept that). Once different, we destroy […]

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1 Thessalonians 3:12 (New Living Translation) 12 And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. The writer to this church is sending a written prayer. The writer prays that everyone in this distant church loves one another more each […]

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2 Corinthians 10:7 (New Living Translation) 7 Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do. Paul is writing to a church in Corinth. There is a lot of fussing going on. Some say Paul is a phony. Paul is […]

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