Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 3:13-15 (Christian Standard Bible) 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” 15 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to […]

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Zephaniah 3:19 (Christian Standard Bible) 19 Yes, at that timeI will deal with all who oppress you.I will save the lame and gather the outcasts;I will make those who were disgracedthroughout the earthreceive praise and fame. Jehovah the God of Israel is speaking to the people through the prophet Zephaniah. There will be a time coming […]

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Luke 3:23 (New Living Translation) 23 Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was about half the age of life expectancy when He began His public ministry. Three score and ten is seventy years of age. The life expectancy in Jesus’ time and place was much less than seventy. Jesus […]

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Mark 3:20-22 (New Living Translation) 20 One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21 When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said. 22 But the teachers of religious law […]

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Matthew 8:16-17 (New Living Translation) …and he (Jesus) healed all the sick. 17 This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses    and removed our diseases.” Told many centuries earlier, the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who would take away the sins of mankind, the Christ would […]

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Micah 6:8 (New Living Translation) 8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,    and this is what he requires of you:to do what is right, to love mercy,    and to walk humbly with your God. There are acts that the people wanted to do for God. Imagine that—we could do something for God that […]

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Matthew 8:32-34 (New Living Translation) 32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. 33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. […]

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Jonah 3:10-4:1 (New Living Translation) 10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. 1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. Jonah was a reluctant but […]

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Matthew 20:28 (New Living Translation) 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus concludes a discussion on what we value with this statement about His own life and ransom. One definition of ransom is “something paid or […]

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