Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 23:23 (New International Version) Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. Ah, these poor guys. The […]

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Matthew 5:16 (New International Version) In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. This verse is the basis of the children’s song “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” I sang that hundreds of times while growing […]

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Hebrews 4:2 (New International Version) For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. The gospel without faith is of no value to the person hearing it. I can […]

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Matthew 5:1-2 (New International Version) 1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them saying: Here is the situation: Jesus is about to speak to a large crowd of people. He is on the side of […]

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Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version) 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Need a guard for your heart and mind? Something […]

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Galatians 5:6 (New International Version) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love This passage discusses how we sometimes lose our focus and worry about all sorts of things that seem to be really important. The truth is, they only seem […]

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1 Peter 4:15 (New International Version) If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. This passage in chapter 4 is discussing suffering as a Christian or suffering at the hands of men because I am a Christian. Verse 15 summarizes […]

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John 5:6 (New International Version) When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” What a silly question? Jesus asks a man who had been an invalid for 38 years if he wanted to get well. […]

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John 6:8-9 (New International Version) 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” These verses come from John’s account of Jesus feeding the 5,000. Andrew brings a small amount […]

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John 11:57 (New International Version) But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. This verse occurs late in the life of Jesus. The Pharisees wanted to arrest Jesus and do away with him. They saw Jesus […]

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