Contemplative Bible Reading

Galatians 1:4 (New Living Translation) 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 can’t add anything. God, please keep my pride from having me attempt to add.

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Acts 13:39a  (New Living Translation) Everyone who believes in him (Jesus) is declared right with God… Pretty simple, huh. This is yet another example of how brevity and clarity often go together. Why is it that we make this so complicated? Perhaps to show how smart I am. God, help me to remove myself and […]

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John 4:48-49 (New Living Translation) 48 Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” 49 The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus healing the official’s son (from a great distance). Jesus asks if the man would […]

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1 John 3:16 (New Living Translation) We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. I find the wording of this and other translation lacking. Notice how the words “gave up his life for us” are […]

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Acts 8:3 (New Living Translation) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. Saul, later to be the Apostle Paul, was trying to destroy this new group of persons who followed after Jesus of Nazareth. He was […]

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Mark 11:12 (New Living Translation) The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Jesus felt hunger in the earthly body that he occupied. I extend that to He would feel tired, hot, thirsty, and other human physical feelings. Go back to the forty days of fasting in the desert before being tempted […]

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John 11:45-48 (New Living Translation) 45 Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46 But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. “What are we going to do?” they […]

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Philippians 4:8 (New Living Translation) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. This is not an admonition to “think nice thoughts and the world will be […]

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Philippians 3:3 (New Living Translation) For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,… Notice the second and third sentences of this verse. Perhaps there is a mistake in translation. I […]

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Ephesians 5:1 (New Living Translation) Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. The first two words summarize the Christian life. I also like the wording in the New English Translation: Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children A few years ago there was a big campaign in […]

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