Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Timothy 1:9 (New Living Translation) For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. Righteous persons—those who […]

[Read more →]

Ephesians 4:26-27 (New Living Translation) 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. This is a famous passage. One paraphrase that applies strongly to me: Get over it so you can sleep at night. […]

[Read more →]

1 Corinthians 1:10-11 (New Living Translation) 10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 11 For some members of Chloe’s household […]

[Read more →]

2 Timothy 2:16 (New Living Translation) May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains. Paul is writing about the love of a friend Onesiphorus. Paul was in prison, but his friend visited him […]

[Read more →]

John 17:25 (New Living Translation) 25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.” Except for […]

[Read more →]

Luke 1:37 (New Living Tranlsation) For the word of God will never fail. Many translations of this verse state: For nothing is impossible with God Nothing is impossible with God. Of course not. I believe that. I guess I believe that. Take a look at the paragraphs preceding verse 37. an old, old woman named […]

[Read more →]

Matthew 23:1-4 (New Living Translation) Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4 […]

[Read more →]

John 5:39-40 (New Living Translation) 39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. Jesus was chastising a crowd of people. In verse 39, He points to the shortcoming of the scriptures—they don’t […]

[Read more →]

1 John 4:18 (New Living Translation) Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. Take note, as I did, of the second sentence—particularly the last phrase. I believe this sentence […]

[Read more →]

1 John 4:12 (New Living Translation) No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. The second sentence of this verse is a bit unsettling. For God to live in me, I have to love those about me. […]

[Read more →]