At nightfall his disciples went down to the sea, got into their boat, and pushed off to cross the water to Capernaum. Darkness had already fallen, and Jesus had not yet joined them. By now a strong wind was blowing and the sea grew rough.
When they had rowed about three or four miles they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat. They were terrified, but he called out, "It is I, do not be afraid." Then they were ready to take him aboard, and immediately the boat reached the land they were making for.
December 03, 2009
Genesis 23
Sarah lived 127 years; this was the length of Sarah's life. And Sarah died at Kiriatharba (That is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, "I am a stranger and and alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
The Hittites answered Abraham, "Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead."
Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. "If you are willing that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place."
Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, "No, my lord, hear me! I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead."
Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "If you only will listen to me! I will give you the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there."
Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver-- What is that between you and me? Bury your dead."
Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, 400 shekels of silver according to the weights current among the merchants.
So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, thoughout its whole area, passed to Abraham as a possession in the presence of all who went in at the gate of the city.
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.
Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, "I am a stranger and and alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
The Hittites answered Abraham, "Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead."
Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. "If you are willing that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place."
Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, "No, my lord, hear me! I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead."
Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "If you only will listen to me! I will give you the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there."
Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver-- What is that between you and me? Bury your dead."
Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, 400 shekels of silver according to the weights current among the merchants.
So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, thoughout its whole area, passed to Abraham as a possession in the presence of all who went in at the gate of the city.
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.
November 10, 2009
John 6.1-16
Some time later Jesus withdrew to the farther shore of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias) and a large crowd of people followed who had seen the signs he performed in healing the sick. Then Jesus went up the hill-side and sat down with his disciples. It was near the time of Passover, the great Jewish festival.
Raising his eyes and seeing a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Phillip, "Where are we to buy bread to feed these people?" (This he said to test him; Jesus himself knew what he meant to do.)
Phillip replied, "Twenty pounds would not buy enough bread for every one of them to have a little."
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fishes, but what is that among so many?"
Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." There was plenty of grass there, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the people as they sat there. He did the same with the fishes, and they had as much as they wanted. When everybody had had enough, he said to his disciples, "Collect the pieces left over, so that nothing may be lost." This they did, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left uneaten of the five barley loaves.
When the people saw the sign Jesus had performed, the word went round, "Surely this must be the prophet that was to come into the world."
Jesus, aware that they meant to come and seize him and proclaim him king, withdrew again to the hills by himself.
Raising his eyes and seeing a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Phillip, "Where are we to buy bread to feed these people?" (This he said to test him; Jesus himself knew what he meant to do.)
Phillip replied, "Twenty pounds would not buy enough bread for every one of them to have a little."
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fishes, but what is that among so many?"
Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." There was plenty of grass there, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the people as they sat there. He did the same with the fishes, and they had as much as they wanted. When everybody had had enough, he said to his disciples, "Collect the pieces left over, so that nothing may be lost." This they did, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left uneaten of the five barley loaves.
When the people saw the sign Jesus had performed, the word went round, "Surely this must be the prophet that was to come into the world."
Jesus, aware that they meant to come and seize him and proclaim him king, withdrew again to the hills by himself.
Genesis 22.1-19
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you."
So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. The Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked together.
Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!"
And he said, "Here I am, my son."
He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son."
So the two of them walked on together. When they cam to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.
But the Angel of the Lord called to him from Heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide." As it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from Heaven, and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this--and have not withheld your son, your only son--I will indeed bless you; and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of Heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies; and by your offspring shall the nations of the Earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice."
So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you."
So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. The Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked together.
Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!"
And he said, "Here I am, my son."
He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son."
So the two of them walked on together. When they cam to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.
But the Angel of the Lord called to him from Heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The Lord will provide." As it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."
The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from Heaven, and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this--and have not withheld your son, your only son--I will indeed bless you; and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of Heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies; and by your offspring shall the nations of the Earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice."
So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
October 26, 2009
John 5.31->
"If I testify on my own behalf, that testimony does not hold good. There is another who testifies for me, and I know what his testimony holds.
"Your messengers have been to John; you have his testimony to the truth. Not that I rely on human testimony; but I remind you of it for your own salvation. John was a lamp, burning brightly, and for a time you were ready to exult in his light. But I rely on a testimony higher than John's.
"There is enough to testify that the Father has sent me, in the works my Father gave me to do and to finish--the very works I have in hand. This testimony to me was given by the Father who sent me, although you never heard his voice, or saw his form. But his word has found no home in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
"You study the scriptures diligently, supposing that in having them you have eternal life; yet although their testimony points to me, you refuse to come to me for that life.
"I do not look to men for honor. But with you it is different, as I know well, for you have no love of God in you.
"I have come accredited by my Father, and you have no welcome for me; if another comes self-accredited you will welcome him.
"How can you have faith so long as you receive honor from one another, and care nothing for the honor that comes from God?
"Do not imagine that I shall be your accuser at God's tribunal. Your accuser is Moses, the very Moses on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses you would believe what I tell you, for it was about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how are you to believe what I say?"
"Your messengers have been to John; you have his testimony to the truth. Not that I rely on human testimony; but I remind you of it for your own salvation. John was a lamp, burning brightly, and for a time you were ready to exult in his light. But I rely on a testimony higher than John's.
"There is enough to testify that the Father has sent me, in the works my Father gave me to do and to finish--the very works I have in hand. This testimony to me was given by the Father who sent me, although you never heard his voice, or saw his form. But his word has found no home in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
"You study the scriptures diligently, supposing that in having them you have eternal life; yet although their testimony points to me, you refuse to come to me for that life.
"I do not look to men for honor. But with you it is different, as I know well, for you have no love of God in you.
"I have come accredited by my Father, and you have no welcome for me; if another comes self-accredited you will welcome him.
"How can you have faith so long as you receive honor from one another, and care nothing for the honor that comes from God?
"Do not imagine that I shall be your accuser at God's tribunal. Your accuser is Moses, the very Moses on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses you would believe what I tell you, for it was about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how are you to believe what I say?"
Genesis 21.22->
At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do; now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity; but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have resided as an alien."
And Abraham said, "I swear it."
When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelich's servants had seized, Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this; you did not tell me, and I did not hear of it until today."
So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech; and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart?"
He said, "These seven ewe lambs you shall accept from my hand, in order that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well."
Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
When they had made a covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham resided as an alien many days in the land of the Philistines.
And Abraham said, "I swear it."
When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelich's servants had seized, Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this; you did not tell me, and I did not hear of it until today."
So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech; and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart?"
He said, "These seven ewe lambs you shall accept from my hand, in order that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well."
Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.
When they had made a covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of of the Lord, the Everlasting God. And Abraham resided as an alien many days in the land of the Philistines.
October 07, 2009
John 5.27-30
"As Son of Man, he has also been given the right to pass judgement.
"Do not wonder at this, because the time is coming when all who are in the grave shall hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done right will rise to life; those who have done wrong with rise to hear their doom.
"I cannot act by myself; I judge as I am bidden, and my verdict is just; because my aim is not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me."
"Do not wonder at this, because the time is coming when all who are in the grave shall hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done right will rise to life; those who have done wrong with rise to hear their doom.
"I cannot act by myself; I judge as I am bidden, and my verdict is just; because my aim is not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me."
Genesis 21.9-21
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac."
The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son.
But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of this slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is' your offspring."
So Abraham arose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away.
And she departed, and wandered around in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
And God heard the voice of the boy; and the Angel of God called to Hagar from Heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy, where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him."
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
God was with the boy; and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son.
But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of this slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is' your offspring."
So Abraham arose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away.
And she departed, and wandered around in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
And God heard the voice of the boy; and the Angel of God called to Hagar from Heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy, where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him."
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
God was with the boy; and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
October 04, 2009
John 5.19-26
To this charge Jesus replied, "In truth, in very truth I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he does only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does.
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all his works (and will show greater yet, to fill you with wonder. As the Father raises the dead and gives them life; so the Son gives life to men, as he determines.
And again, the Father does not judge anyone, but has given full jurisdiction to the Son; it is his will that all should pay the same honor to the Son as to the Father. To deny honor to the Son is to deny it to the Father who sent him.
In very truth, anyone who gives heed to what I say and puts his faith in him who sent me has hold of eternal life--and does not come up for judgement, but has already passed from death to life.
In truth, in very truth I tell you, a time is coming (Indeed it is already here!) when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and all who hear shall come to life. For as the Father has life-giving power in himself, so has the Son, by the Father's gift.
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all his works (and will show greater yet, to fill you with wonder. As the Father raises the dead and gives them life; so the Son gives life to men, as he determines.
And again, the Father does not judge anyone, but has given full jurisdiction to the Son; it is his will that all should pay the same honor to the Son as to the Father. To deny honor to the Son is to deny it to the Father who sent him.
In very truth, anyone who gives heed to what I say and puts his faith in him who sent me has hold of eternal life--and does not come up for judgement, but has already passed from death to life.
In truth, in very truth I tell you, a time is coming (Indeed it is already here!) when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and all who hear shall come to life. For as the Father has life-giving power in himself, so has the Son, by the Father's gift.
Genesis 21.1-8
The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him.
Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son whom Sarah bore him. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." And she said, "Who would have ever said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son whom Sarah bore him. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." And she said, "Who would have ever said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
October 02, 2009
John 5.16-18
It was works of this kind done on the Sabbath that stirred the Jews to persecute Jesus.
He defended himself by saying, "My father has never yet ceased his work, and I am working too."
This made the Jews even more determined to kill him, because he was not only breaking the Sabbath; but by calling God his father, he claimed equality with God.
He defended himself by saying, "My father has never yet ceased his work, and I am working too."
This made the Jews even more determined to kill him, because he was not only breaking the Sabbath; but by calling God his father, he claimed equality with God.
Genesis 20
From there Abraham journeyed toward the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur.
While residing in Gerar as an alien, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister."
And King Abimelech of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said, "You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman."
Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, "Lord, will you destroy an innocent people? Did he himself not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands."
Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; furthermore it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Now, then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet; and he will pray for you; and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you will surely die, you and all that are yours."
So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid. The Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not have been done." And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking, that you did this thing?"
Abraham said, "I did it because I thought: "There is no fear of God in this place; and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And when God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'This is the kindness you must do me; at every place to which we come, say of me, 'He is my brother.' "
Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. Abimelech said, "My land is before you; settle where it pleases you." To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your exoneration before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated."
The Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. For the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
While residing in Gerar as an alien, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister."
And King Abimelech of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said, "You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman."
Now Abimelech had not approached her, so he said, "Lord, will you destroy an innocent people? Did he himself not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands."
Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; furthermore it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Now, then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet; and he will pray for you; and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you will surely die, you and all that are yours."
So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid. The Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not have been done." And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking, that you did this thing?"
Abraham said, "I did it because I thought: "There is no fear of God in this place; and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And when God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'This is the kindness you must do me; at every place to which we come, say of me, 'He is my brother.' "
Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. Abimelech said, "My land is before you; settle where it pleases you." To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your exoneration before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated."
The Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. For the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
September 04, 2009
John 5.1-15
Later on Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now at the Sheep Pool in Jerusalem there is a place with five colonnades. Its name in the language of the Jews is Bethesda. In these colonnades there lay a crowd of sick people, blind, lame, and paralysed.
Among them was a man who had been crippled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and was aware he had been ill a very long time, he asked him, "Do you want to recover?"
"Sir, he replied, "I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is disturbed, but while I am moving, someone else is in the pool before me."
Jesus answered, "Rise to your feet; take up your bed and walk."
The man recovered instantly, took up his bed and began to walk.
That day was a Sabbath. So the Judeans said to the man who had been cured, "It is the Sabbath. You are not allowed to carry your bed on the Sabbath."
He answered, "The man who cured me said, 'Take up your bed and walk.'"
They asked him, "Who is the man who told you to take up your bed and walk?"
But the cripple who had been cured did not know; for the place was crowded and Jesus had slipped away. A little later Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, "Now that you are well again, leave your sinful ways, or you may suffer something worse." The man went away and told the Judeans that it was Jesus who had cured him.
Among them was a man who had been crippled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and was aware he had been ill a very long time, he asked him, "Do you want to recover?"
"Sir, he replied, "I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is disturbed, but while I am moving, someone else is in the pool before me."
Jesus answered, "Rise to your feet; take up your bed and walk."
The man recovered instantly, took up his bed and began to walk.
That day was a Sabbath. So the Judeans said to the man who had been cured, "It is the Sabbath. You are not allowed to carry your bed on the Sabbath."
He answered, "The man who cured me said, 'Take up your bed and walk.'"
They asked him, "Who is the man who told you to take up your bed and walk?"
But the cripple who had been cured did not know; for the place was crowded and Jesus had slipped away. A little later Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, "Now that you are well again, leave your sinful ways, or you may suffer something worse." The man went away and told the Judeans that it was Jesus who had cured him.
Genesis 19.30->
Now Lot went up out of Zoar and settled in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar, so he lived in a cave with his two daughters.
And the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on Earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father."
So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose.
On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Look, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you may go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father. So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose.
Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son, and named him Benammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.
And the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on Earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father."
So they made their father drink wine that night, and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose.
On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Look, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you may go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father. So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose.
Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son, and named him Benammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.
July 30, 2009
John 4.46->
Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine.
Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe."
The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my boy dies."
Jesus said to him, "Go, your son will live."
The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour at which he started to recover, and they said to him, "Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him."
The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he himself believed, together with his whole household.
Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe."
The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my boy dies."
Jesus said to him, "Go, your son will live."
The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour at which he started to recover, and they said to him, "Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him."
The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he himself believed, together with his whole household.
Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Genesis 19.12-29
Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city--bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.
So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, "Up, get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of this city."
But he lingered, so the two men seized him and his wife and two daughters by the hand (the Lord being merciful to him) and they brought him out and left him outside the city. When they had brought him outside, they said, "Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain;. Flee to the hills, or else you will be consumed."
And Lot said, "Oh no, my lords; your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life, but I cannot flee to the hills, for fear the disaster will overtake me and I die. Look, that city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there--Is it not a little one?--and my life will be saved."
He said to him, "Very well, I grant you this favor too, and will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I can do nothing until you arrive there." Therefore the city was called Zoar. The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of Heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back and she became a pillar of salt.
Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord, and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the Plain, and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace.
So it was that, when God had destroyed the cities of the Plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot our of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had settled.
So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, "Up, get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of this city."
But he lingered, so the two men seized him and his wife and two daughters by the hand (the Lord being merciful to him) and they brought him out and left him outside the city. When they had brought him outside, they said, "Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain;. Flee to the hills, or else you will be consumed."
And Lot said, "Oh no, my lords; your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life, but I cannot flee to the hills, for fear the disaster will overtake me and I die. Look, that city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there--Is it not a little one?--and my life will be saved."
He said to him, "Very well, I grant you this favor too, and will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I can do nothing until you arrive there." Therefore the city was called Zoar. The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of Heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back and she became a pillar of salt.
Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord, and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the Plain, and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace.
So it was that, when God had destroyed the cities of the Plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot our of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had settled.
July 20, 2009
John 4.43-45
When the two days were over he set out for Galilee; for Jesus himself declared that a prophet is without honor in his own country.
On his arrival in Galilee, the Galileans gave him a welcome, because they had seen all that he did at the festival in Jerusalem; they had been at the festival themselves.
On his arrival in Galilee, the Galileans gave him a welcome, because they had seen all that he did at the festival in Jerusalem; they had been at the festival themselves.
Genesis 19.1-8
The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate at Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground. He said, "Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way.
They said, "No, we will spend the night in the square."
But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; and they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so we may know them."
Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Look, I have two daughters who have never known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof."
They said, "No, we will spend the night in the square."
But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; and they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so we may know them."
Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Look, I have two daughters who have never known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof."
July 12, 2009
John 4.1-42
A report now reached the Pharisees: "Jesus is winning and baptizing more disciples than John"; although in fact it was only the disciples who were baptizing and not Jesus himself. When Jesus learned this, he left Judea and set out once more for Galilee. He had to pass through Samaria, and on his way came to a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the plot of ground which Jacob gave to his son Joseph and the spring called Jacob's Well.
It was about noon, and Jesus sat down by the well. The disciples had gone away to the town to buy food. Meanwhile a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."
The Samaritan woman said, "What? You, a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" (Jews and Samaritans, it should be noted, do not use vessels in common.)
Jesus answered her, "If only you knew what God gives, and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have no bucket and this well is deep. How can you give me 'living water.' Are you a greater man than Jacob our ancestor, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, he and his sons, and his cattle too."
Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I shall give him will never suffer thirst any more. The water that I give him will be an inner spring always welling up for eternal life."
"Sir," said the woman, "give me that water, and then I shall not be thirsty, nor have to come all this way to draw."
Jesus replied, "Go home, call your husband and come back."
She answered, "I have no husband."
"You are right," said Jesus, "in saying that you have no husband, for although you have had five husbands, the man with whom you are now living is not your husband; you told the truth there."
"Sir," she replied, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but the Judeans say that the Temple where God should be worshiped is in Jerusalem."
"Believe me," said Jesus, "the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship without knowing what you worship, while we worship what we know. It is from the Jews that salvation comes. But the time approaches, indeed is already here, when those who are real worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Such are the worshipers whom the Father wants. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."
The woman answered, "I know that the Messiah" (that is 'Christ') "is coming. When he comes he will tell us everything."
Jesus said, "I am he, I who am speaking to you now."
At that moment his disciples returned, and were astonished to find him talking with a woman; but none of them said, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"
The woman put down her water-jar and went away to the town, where she said to the people, "Come and see a man who has told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?"
They came out of the town and made their way towards him.
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, have something to eat."
But he said, "I have food to eat of which you know nothing."
At this the disciples said to one another, "Can someone have brought him food?"
But Jesus said, "It is meat and drink for me to do the will of him who sent me until I have finished his work.
"Do you not say, 'Four months and then comes harvest!'? But look, I tell you, look round on the fields; they are already white, ripe for harvest. The reaper is drawing his pay and gathering a crop for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. That is how the saying comes true: 'One sows, and another reaps.' I sent you to reap a crop for which you have not toiled. Others toiled and you have come in for the harvest of their toil."
Many Samaritans of that town came to believe in him because of the woman's testimony: "He told me everything I ever did!"
So when these Samaritans had come to him they pressed him to stay, and he stayed with them for two days. Many more became believers because of what they heard from his own lips. They told the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard him ourselves; and we know that this is in truth the Savior of the world."
It was about noon, and Jesus sat down by the well. The disciples had gone away to the town to buy food. Meanwhile a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."
The Samaritan woman said, "What? You, a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" (Jews and Samaritans, it should be noted, do not use vessels in common.)
Jesus answered her, "If only you knew what God gives, and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have no bucket and this well is deep. How can you give me 'living water.' Are you a greater man than Jacob our ancestor, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, he and his sons, and his cattle too."
Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I shall give him will never suffer thirst any more. The water that I give him will be an inner spring always welling up for eternal life."
"Sir," said the woman, "give me that water, and then I shall not be thirsty, nor have to come all this way to draw."
Jesus replied, "Go home, call your husband and come back."
She answered, "I have no husband."
"You are right," said Jesus, "in saying that you have no husband, for although you have had five husbands, the man with whom you are now living is not your husband; you told the truth there."
"Sir," she replied, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but the Judeans say that the Temple where God should be worshiped is in Jerusalem."
"Believe me," said Jesus, "the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship without knowing what you worship, while we worship what we know. It is from the Jews that salvation comes. But the time approaches, indeed is already here, when those who are real worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Such are the worshipers whom the Father wants. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."
The woman answered, "I know that the Messiah" (that is 'Christ') "is coming. When he comes he will tell us everything."
Jesus said, "I am he, I who am speaking to you now."
At that moment his disciples returned, and were astonished to find him talking with a woman; but none of them said, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"
The woman put down her water-jar and went away to the town, where she said to the people, "Come and see a man who has told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?"
They came out of the town and made their way towards him.
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, have something to eat."
But he said, "I have food to eat of which you know nothing."
At this the disciples said to one another, "Can someone have brought him food?"
But Jesus said, "It is meat and drink for me to do the will of him who sent me until I have finished his work.
"Do you not say, 'Four months and then comes harvest!'? But look, I tell you, look round on the fields; they are already white, ripe for harvest. The reaper is drawing his pay and gathering a crop for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. That is how the saying comes true: 'One sows, and another reaps.' I sent you to reap a crop for which you have not toiled. Others toiled and you have come in for the harvest of their toil."
Many Samaritans of that town came to believe in him because of the woman's testimony: "He told me everything I ever did!"
So when these Samaritans had come to him they pressed him to stay, and he stayed with them for two days. Many more became believers because of what they heard from his own lips. They told the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard him ourselves; and we know that this is in truth the Savior of the world."
Genesis 18
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him.
When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the grass. He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and after that, you may pass on--since you have come to your servant."
And Abraham hastened into the tent of Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes."
Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.
Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?"
And he said, "There, in the tent."
Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."
And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?"
The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I shall return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son."
But Sarah denied saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid.
He said, "Oh yes, you did laugh."
Then the men set out from there and they looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.
And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him? No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and the his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.
Then the Lord said, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very great their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know." So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.
Then Abraham came near, and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be that from you! Shall not the judge of all the world do right?"
And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.
Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes! Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole place for lack of five?
And He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."
Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."
Then he said, "Oh do not be let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there?"
He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord! Suppose twenty are found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it."
Then he said, "Oh, do not be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the grass. He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and after that, you may pass on--since you have come to your servant."
And Abraham hastened into the tent of Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes."
Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.
Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?"
And he said, "There, in the tent."
Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."
And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?"
The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I shall return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son."
But Sarah denied saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid.
He said, "Oh yes, you did laugh."
Then the men set out from there and they looked toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.
And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him? No, for I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and the his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.
Then the Lord said, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very great their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know." So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.
Then Abraham came near, and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be that from you! Shall not the judge of all the world do right?"
And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.
Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes! Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole place for lack of five?
And He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."
Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."
Then he said, "Oh do not be let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there?"
He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord! Suppose twenty are found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it."
Then he said, "Oh, do not be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there?"
He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
July 06, 2009
John 3.31->
He who comes from above is above all others.
He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth and uses earthly speech. He who comes from Heaven bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his witness.
To accept his witness is to attest that God speaks true--For he whom God sent utters the words of God, so measureless is God's gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the son and has entrusted him with all authority. He who puts his faith in the son has hold of eternal life; but he who disobeys the son shall not see that life; God's wrath rests upon him.
He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth and uses earthly speech. He who comes from Heaven bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his witness.
To accept his witness is to attest that God speaks true--For he whom God sent utters the words of God, so measureless is God's gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the son and has entrusted him with all authority. He who puts his faith in the son has hold of eternal life; but he who disobeys the son shall not see that life; God's wrath rests upon him.
Genesis 17
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless; and I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous."
Then Abram fell on his face, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you; and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God."
God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations.
"This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Serai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."
Then Abram fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live in your sight!"
God said, "No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
"As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year." And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
The Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised; and all the men of his house, slaves born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Then Abram fell on his face, and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you; and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God."
God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations.
"This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Serai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."
Then Abram fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live in your sight!"
God said, "No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
"As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year." And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
The Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised; and all the men of his house, slaves born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
June 30, 2009
John 3.22-30
After this, Jesus went into Judea with his disciples, stayed there with them, and baptized.
John was also baptizing, at Aenon, near to Salim, because water was plentiful in that region; and people were constantly coming for baptism. (This was before John's imprisonment.)
Some of John's disciples had fallen into disputes with Judeans about purification; so they came to [John] and said, "Rabbi, there was a man with you on the other side of the Jordan, to whom you bore your witness. Here he is baptizing, and crowds are flocking to him!"
John's answer was, "A man can have only what God gives him. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah; I have been sent as his forerunner.'
"It is the bridegroom to whom the bride belongs. The bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens to him, is overjoyed at hearing the bridegroom's voice. This joy, this perfect joy, is now mine. As he grows greater, I must grow less."
John was also baptizing, at Aenon, near to Salim, because water was plentiful in that region; and people were constantly coming for baptism. (This was before John's imprisonment.)
Some of John's disciples had fallen into disputes with Judeans about purification; so they came to [John] and said, "Rabbi, there was a man with you on the other side of the Jordan, to whom you bore your witness. Here he is baptizing, and crowds are flocking to him!"
John's answer was, "A man can have only what God gives him. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Messiah; I have been sent as his forerunner.'
"It is the bridegroom to whom the bride belongs. The bridegroom's friend, who stands by and listens to him, is overjoyed at hearing the bridegroom's voice. This joy, this perfect joy, is now mine. As he grows greater, I must grow less."
Genesis 16
Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave woman whose name was Hagar, and Sarah said to Abram, "You see that the Lord has prevented me from bearing children; go into my slave; it may be that I shall obtain children by her."
And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. He went into Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.
Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my slave to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!"
But Abram said to Sarai, "Your slave is in your power; do to her as you please!"
Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away.
The Angel of the Lord found [Hagar] by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?"
She said, "I am running away from my mistress Sarai."
The Angel of the Lord said to Sarai, "Return to your mistress and submit to her." The Angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude." And the Angel of the Lord said to her,
"Now you have conceived and shall bear a son.
You shall call him Ishmael, [= "God hears"]
for the Lord has given heed to your affliction.
He shall be a wild ass of a man
with his hand against everyone
and everyone's hand against him
and he shall live at odds with all his kin."
So she named the Lord who spoke to her, "You are El-roi;" ["God of seeing"?] for she said, "Have I really seen God, and remained alive?" Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi ["that is: the Well of the Living One Who Sees Me"]; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.
Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. He went into Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.
Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my slave to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!"
But Abram said to Sarai, "Your slave is in your power; do to her as you please!"
Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away.
The Angel of the Lord found [Hagar] by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?"
She said, "I am running away from my mistress Sarai."
The Angel of the Lord said to Sarai, "Return to your mistress and submit to her." The Angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude." And the Angel of the Lord said to her,
"Now you have conceived and shall bear a son.
You shall call him Ishmael, [= "God hears"]
for the Lord has given heed to your affliction.
He shall be a wild ass of a man
with his hand against everyone
and everyone's hand against him
and he shall live at odds with all his kin."
So she named the Lord who spoke to her, "You are El-roi;" ["God of seeing"?] for she said, "Have I really seen God, and remained alive?" Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi ["that is: the Well of the Living One Who Sees Me"]; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.
Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
June 26, 2009
John 3-3.21
There was one of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Judean council, who came to Jesus by night. "Rabbi," he said, "We know that you are a teacher sent by God; no one could perform these signs of yours unless God were with him."
Jesus answered, "In truth, in very truth I tell you, unless a man has been born over again he cannot see the reign of God."
"But how is it possible," said Nicodemus, "for a man to be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?"
Jesus answered, "In truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born from water and spirit. Meat can give birth only to meat; it is spirit that gives birth to spirit. You shouldn't be astonished, then, when I tell you you must be born over again.
"The wind blows where it wishes; you hear the sound of it; but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So with everyone who is born from spirit."
Nicodemus replied, "How is this possible?"
"What?" said Jesus. "Is this famous teacher of Israel ignorant of such things? In very truth I tell you, we speak of what we know, and testify to what we have seen, and yet you reject all our testimony. If you disbelieve me when I talk to you about things on earth, how are you to know if I should talk about the Heavens?
"No one ever went up into Heaven except the one who came down from Heaven, the son of Adam whose home is in Heaven. This son of Adam must be lifted up as the serpent was lifted up by Moses in the wilderness, so that everyone who has faith in him may possess eternal life.
"God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life. It was not to condemn the world that God sent his son into the world, but that through him the world might be saved.
"The man who puts his faith in him does not come under judgment; but the unbeliever has already been judged in that he has not given his allegiance to God's only son. Here lies the test: The light has come into the world; but men preferred darkness to light because their deeds were evil. Bad men all hate the light and avoid it, for fear that their practices would be shown up. The honest man comes to the light so that it may be clearly seen that God is in all he does."
Jesus answered, "In truth, in very truth I tell you, unless a man has been born over again he cannot see the reign of God."
"But how is it possible," said Nicodemus, "for a man to be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?"
Jesus answered, "In truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born from water and spirit. Meat can give birth only to meat; it is spirit that gives birth to spirit. You shouldn't be astonished, then, when I tell you you must be born over again.
"The wind blows where it wishes; you hear the sound of it; but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So with everyone who is born from spirit."
Nicodemus replied, "How is this possible?"
"What?" said Jesus. "Is this famous teacher of Israel ignorant of such things? In very truth I tell you, we speak of what we know, and testify to what we have seen, and yet you reject all our testimony. If you disbelieve me when I talk to you about things on earth, how are you to know if I should talk about the Heavens?
"No one ever went up into Heaven except the one who came down from Heaven, the son of Adam whose home is in Heaven. This son of Adam must be lifted up as the serpent was lifted up by Moses in the wilderness, so that everyone who has faith in him may possess eternal life.
"God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life. It was not to condemn the world that God sent his son into the world, but that through him the world might be saved.
"The man who puts his faith in him does not come under judgment; but the unbeliever has already been judged in that he has not given his allegiance to God's only son. Here lies the test: The light has come into the world; but men preferred darkness to light because their deeds were evil. Bad men all hate the light and avoid it, for fear that their practices would be shown up. The honest man comes to the light so that it may be clearly seen that God is in all he does."
Genesis 15
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield. Your reward shall be very great."
But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir."
But the word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." He brought him outside and said, "Look toward Heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
And he believed the Lord, and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Then he said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess."
But he said, "O Lord God, how am I to know that I am to possess it?"
He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove and a young pigeon."
He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying one half over against the other, but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall be oppressed for four hundred years; but I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a deal with Abram, saying "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Raphaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashitees, and the Jebusites."
But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir."
But the word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." He brought him outside and said, "Look toward Heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
And he believed the Lord, and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Then he said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess."
But he said, "O Lord God, how am I to know that I am to possess it?"
He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove and a young pigeon."
He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying one half over against the other, but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall be oppressed for four hundred years; but I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a deal with Abram, saying "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Raphaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashitees, and the Jebusites."
June 23, 2009
John 2.23->
While [Jesus] was in Jerusalem for Passover many gave their allegiance to him when they saw the signs that he performed.
But Jesus for his part would not trust himself to them. He knew men so well, all of them, that he needed no evidence from others about a man, for he himself could tell what was in a man.
But Jesus for his part would not trust himself to them. He knew men so well, all of them, that he needed no evidence from others about a man, for he himself could tell what was in a man.
Genesis 14
In the days of King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim, these kings made war with King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the King of Bela. All these joined forces in the valley of Siddim (the Dead Sea.)
Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the 13th year they rebelled. In the 14th year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Astoroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shavehkiriathaim, and the Horites in the hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness; then they turned back and came to Enmishpat (that is, Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela went out, and they joined battle in the valley of Siddim with King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar, four kings against five.
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country.
So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way; they also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who lived in Sodom, and departed.
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, and the women and the people.
After [Abram's] return... the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh.
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him, saying:
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Maker of Heaven and Earth;
And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand."
And Abram gave him 1/10 of everything.
Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself."
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the Lord, God Most High, maker of Heaven and Earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, so that you might not say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
"I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me--Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share."
Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the 13th year they rebelled. In the 14th year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Astoroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shavehkiriathaim, and the Horites in the hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness; then they turned back and came to Enmishpat (that is, Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela went out, and they joined battle in the valley of Siddim with King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar, four kings against five.
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country.
So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way; they also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who lived in Sodom, and departed.
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, and the women and the people.
After [Abram's] return... the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh.
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him, saying:
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Maker of Heaven and Earth;
And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand."
And Abram gave him 1/10 of everything.
Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself."
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the Lord, God Most High, maker of Heaven and Earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, so that you might not say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
"I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me--Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share."
June 15, 2009
John 2.12-2.22
After this Jesus went down to Capernaum in company with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; but they did not stay there long.
As it was near the time of the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. There he found in the Temple the dealers in cattle, sheep, and pigeons--and the money-changers seated at their tables. Jesus made a whip of cords and drove them out of the Temple: sheep, cattle, and all.
He upset the tables of the money-changers, scattering their coins. Then he turned on the dealers in pigeons: "Take them out," he said. "You must not turn my Father's house into a market."
HIs disciples recalled the words of Scripture, "Zeal for thy house shall destroy me."
The "Jews" challenged Jesus, "What sign," they asked, "can you show us as authority for doing this?"
"Destroy this Temple," Jesus replied, "and in three days I will raise it again."
They said, "It's taken 46 years to build this Temple, and [we should knock it down so] you can raise it again in three days?"
But the temple he was speaking of was his body. After his resurrection his disciples recalled what he had said, and they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
As it was near the time of the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. There he found in the Temple the dealers in cattle, sheep, and pigeons--and the money-changers seated at their tables. Jesus made a whip of cords and drove them out of the Temple: sheep, cattle, and all.
He upset the tables of the money-changers, scattering their coins. Then he turned on the dealers in pigeons: "Take them out," he said. "You must not turn my Father's house into a market."
HIs disciples recalled the words of Scripture, "Zeal for thy house shall destroy me."
The "Jews" challenged Jesus, "What sign," they asked, "can you show us as authority for doing this?"
"Destroy this Temple," Jesus replied, "and in three days I will raise it again."
They said, "It's taken 46 years to build this Temple, and [we should knock it down so] you can raise it again in three days?"
But the temple he was speaking of was his body. After his resurrection his disciples recalled what he had said, and they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Genesis 13
So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.
Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them living together; and there was strife between the herders of Abram's livestock and the herders of Lot's livestock.
(At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land.)
Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well-watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and journeyed eastward; thus they separated.
Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. (Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.)
The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are--northward and southward and eastward and westward--for all the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the Earth; if no one can could the dust of the Earth, then your offspring will also be too many to count. Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." So Abram moved his tent, and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them living together; and there was strife between the herders of Abram's livestock and the herders of Lot's livestock.
(At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land.)
Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left."
Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well-watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and journeyed eastward; thus they separated.
Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. (Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.)
The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are--northward and southward and eastward and westward--for all the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the Earth; if no one can could the dust of the Earth, then your offspring will also be too many to count. Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you." So Abram moved his tent, and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.
June 11, 2009
John 2.1-2.11
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana-in-Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples were guests also. The wine gave out, so Jesus's mother said to him, "They have no wine left."
He answered, "What does that matter to you or me? My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
There were six stone water-jars standing near, of the kind used for Jewish rites of purification; each held from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water," and they filled them to the brim. "Now draw some off," he ordered, "and take it to the steward of the feast;" and they did so.
The steward tasted the water now turned into wine, not knowing its source, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He hailed the bridegroom and said, "Everyone serves the best wine first, and waits until the guests have drunk freely before serving the poorer sort, but you have kept the best wine until now."
This deed at Cana-in-Galilee is the first of the signs by which Jesus revealed his glory and led his disciples to believe in him.
He answered, "What does that matter to you or me? My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
There were six stone water-jars standing near, of the kind used for Jewish rites of purification; each held from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water," and they filled them to the brim. "Now draw some off," he ordered, "and take it to the steward of the feast;" and they did so.
The steward tasted the water now turned into wine, not knowing its source, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He hailed the bridegroom and said, "Everyone serves the best wine first, and waits until the guests have drunk freely before serving the poorer sort, but you have kept the best wine until now."
This deed at Cana-in-Galilee is the first of the signs by which Jesus revealed his glory and led his disciples to believe in him.
Genesis 12.10->
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there as an alien, for the famine was severe in the land.
When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Serai, "I know well that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see me, they will say, 'This is his wife;' then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account.'"
When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. When the officials of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female slaves, female donkeys, and camels.
But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Serai, Abram's wife.
So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her and be gone!"
And Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning him, and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.
When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Serai, "I know well that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see me, they will say, 'This is his wife;' then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account.'"
When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. When the officials of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female slaves, female donkeys, and camels.
But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Serai, Abram's wife.
So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her and be gone!"
And Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning him, and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.
June 07, 2009
John 1.43->
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He met Philip, who like Andrew and Peter, came from Bethsaida, and said to him, "Follow me."
Phillip went to find Nathanael, and told him, we have met the man spoken of my Moses in the Law, and by the prophets; it is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.
"Nazareth!" Nathanael exclaimed. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"
Philip said, "Come and see."
When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he said, "Here is an Israelite worthy of the name; there is nothing false in him."
Nathanael asked him, "How do you come to know me?"
Jesus replied, "I saw you under the fig tree, before Philip spoke to you."
"Rabbi," said Nathanael, "You are the son of God; you are king of Israel."
Jesus answered, "Is this the ground of your faith, that I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You shall see greater things than that." The he added, "In truth, in very truth I tell you all: You shall see Heaven wide open, and God's angels ascending and descending upon the son of Adam."
Phillip went to find Nathanael, and told him, we have met the man spoken of my Moses in the Law, and by the prophets; it is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.
"Nazareth!" Nathanael exclaimed. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"
Philip said, "Come and see."
When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he said, "Here is an Israelite worthy of the name; there is nothing false in him."
Nathanael asked him, "How do you come to know me?"
Jesus replied, "I saw you under the fig tree, before Philip spoke to you."
"Rabbi," said Nathanael, "You are the son of God; you are king of Israel."
Jesus answered, "Is this the ground of your faith, that I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You shall see greater things than that." The he added, "In truth, in very truth I tell you all: You shall see Heaven wide open, and God's angels ascending and descending upon the son of Adam."
Genesis 11.10-12.9
[begats, begats, begats]...
Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation; and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed."
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Serai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan.
When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, "To your offspring I will give this land."
So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.
Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation; and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed."
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Serai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan.
When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, "To your offspring I will give this land."
So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and invoked the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.
June 02, 2009
Uniqueness
Is the relationship between Jesus and God unique?
If it is, in what way is it so?
If that's not the difference, what, if anything, is?
If it is, in what way is it so?
If that's not the difference, what, if anything, is?
June 01, 2009
John 1.29-42
The next day, [John] saw Jesus coming toward him. "Look," he said, "There is the Lamb of God; it is he who takes away the sins of the world.
"This is he of whom I spoke when I said, 'After me a man is coming who takes rank before me;' for before I was born, he already was. I myself did not know who he was; but the very reason I came, baptizing in water, was that he might be revealed to Israel."
John testified further: "I was the Spirit coming down from Heaven like a dove and resting upon him. I didn't know him, but He who sent me to baptize in water told me, 'When you see the Spirit coming down upon someone and resting upon him, you will know that this is he who is to baptise in holy Spirit.' I saw it myself, and I have borne witness. This is God's chosen one."
The next day afterwards John was standing with two of his disciples when Jesus passed by. John looked toward him and said, 'There is the Lamb of God.'
The two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus. When he turned and saw them following him, he asked, "What are you looking for?"
They said, "Rabbi (which means a teacher), where are you staying?"
"Come and see," he replied.
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent the rest of the day with him. It was then about four in the afternoon.
One of the two who followed Jesus after hearing what John said was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. The first thing he did was to find his brother Simon. He said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is the Hebrew for 'Christ'.) He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked him in the face and said, "You are Simon, son of John. You shall be called 'Cephas'" (that is, 'Peter', 'the Rock.')
"This is he of whom I spoke when I said, 'After me a man is coming who takes rank before me;' for before I was born, he already was. I myself did not know who he was; but the very reason I came, baptizing in water, was that he might be revealed to Israel."
John testified further: "I was the Spirit coming down from Heaven like a dove and resting upon him. I didn't know him, but He who sent me to baptize in water told me, 'When you see the Spirit coming down upon someone and resting upon him, you will know that this is he who is to baptise in holy Spirit.' I saw it myself, and I have borne witness. This is God's chosen one."
The next day afterwards John was standing with two of his disciples when Jesus passed by. John looked toward him and said, 'There is the Lamb of God.'
The two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus. When he turned and saw them following him, he asked, "What are you looking for?"
They said, "Rabbi (which means a teacher), where are you staying?"
"Come and see," he replied.
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent the rest of the day with him. It was then about four in the afternoon.
One of the two who followed Jesus after hearing what John said was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. The first thing he did was to find his brother Simon. He said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is the Hebrew for 'Christ'.) He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked him in the face and said, "You are Simon, son of John. You shall be called 'Cephas'" (that is, 'Peter', 'the Rock.')
Genesis 11.1-9
Now the whole Earth had one language and the same words.
And as they migrated from the East, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens. And let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad on the face of the Earth."
The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which mortals had built. And the Lord said, "Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do. Nothing that they purpose to do will now be impossible for them.
"Come, let us go down and confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another's speech." So the Lord scattered them abroad from there, all over the face of the Earth; and they left off building the city.
Therefor it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the Earth, and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the Earth.
And as they migrated from the East, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
And they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens. And let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad on the face of the Earth."
The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which mortals had built. And the Lord said, "Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do. Nothing that they purpose to do will now be impossible for them.
"Come, let us go down and confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another's speech." So the Lord scattered them abroad from there, all over the face of the Earth; and they left off building the city.
Therefor it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the Earth, and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the Earth.
May 29, 2009
Let's try this
A Genesis-and-John stew may prove a little too rich; but I am now reluctant to give up either! Please continue to read & comment on either or both; and if any of my current commentors has other material they'd like to post here, please ask.
John 15-28
Here is John's testimony; he cried aloud, "This is the man I meant when I said, 'He comes after me, but takes rank before me;' for before I was born, he already was."
Out of his full store we have all received grace after grace; for while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the only one, the one nearest to the Father's heart, has made him known.
This is the testimony which John gave when the Jews of Jerusalem sent a deputation of priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He confessed without reserve and avowed, "I am not the Messiah."
"What, then? Are you Elijah?"
"No," he replied.
"Are you the prophet we await?"
He answered, "No."
"Then who are you?" They asked. "We must give an answer to those who sent us. What account do you give of yourself?"
He answered in the words of the prophet Isaiah, "I am a voice crying out in the wilderness, 'Make the Lord's highway straight.' "
Some Pharisees who were in the delegation asked him, "If you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet, why then are you baptising?"
"I baptise in water," John replied, "but among you, though you do not know him, stands the one who is to come after me. I am not good enough to unfasten his shoes." This took place at Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptising.
Out of his full store we have all received grace after grace; for while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the only one, the one nearest to the Father's heart, has made him known.
This is the testimony which John gave when the Jews of Jerusalem sent a deputation of priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He confessed without reserve and avowed, "I am not the Messiah."
"What, then? Are you Elijah?"
"No," he replied.
"Are you the prophet we await?"
He answered, "No."
"Then who are you?" They asked. "We must give an answer to those who sent us. What account do you give of yourself?"
He answered in the words of the prophet Isaiah, "I am a voice crying out in the wilderness, 'Make the Lord's highway straight.' "
Some Pharisees who were in the delegation asked him, "If you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet, why then are you baptising?"
"I baptise in water," John replied, "but among you, though you do not know him, stands the one who is to come after me. I am not good enough to unfasten his shoes." This took place at Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptising.
Genesis 9.18->end of 10
The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole Earth was peopled.
Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away; and they did not see their father's nakedness.
When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed by Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers."
He also said, "Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.
"May God make space for Japheth
and let him live in the tents of Shem;
and let Canaan be his slave."
After the flood Noah lived three hundred fifty years. All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.
[begats, begats, begats]... These are the families of Noah's sons, according to their genealogies, in their nations; and from these the nations spread abroad on the Earth after the Flood.
Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away; and they did not see their father's nakedness.
When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed by Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers."
He also said, "Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.
"May God make space for Japheth
and let him live in the tents of Shem;
and let Canaan be his slave."
After the flood Noah lived three hundred fifty years. All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.
[begats, begats, begats]... These are the families of Noah's sons, according to their genealogies, in their nations; and from these the nations spread abroad on the Earth after the Flood.
May 27, 2009
Okay then, John 1-1.14 (a mix of translations)
When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the Word was.
The Word, then, was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be; no single thing was created without him. All that came to be was alive with his life; and that life was the light of human beings.
The light shines on in the dark, and the darkness has never quenched it.
There appeared a man named John, sent from God; he came as a witness to testify to the light, that all might become believers through him. He was not himself the light; he came to bear witness to the light. The real light which enlightens every man was, even then, coming into the world.
He was in the world, but the world, which owed its being to him, did not recognize him.
He entered his own place, and his own people would not welcome him. But to all who did welcome him, to those who gave their allegiance, he gave the power to become children of God--not born of human stock, or by the fleshly desire of their human fathers, but offspring of Spirit.
So the Word became flesh; he came to live among us; and we saw his glory, such glory as befits the Father's true son, full of truth and blessing.
The Word, then, was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be; no single thing was created without him. All that came to be was alive with his life; and that life was the light of human beings.
The light shines on in the dark, and the darkness has never quenched it.
There appeared a man named John, sent from God; he came as a witness to testify to the light, that all might become believers through him. He was not himself the light; he came to bear witness to the light. The real light which enlightens every man was, even then, coming into the world.
He was in the world, but the world, which owed its being to him, did not recognize him.
He entered his own place, and his own people would not welcome him. But to all who did welcome him, to those who gave their allegiance, he gave the power to become children of God--not born of human stock, or by the fleshly desire of their human fathers, but offspring of Spirit.
So the Word became flesh; he came to live among us; and we saw his glory, such glory as befits the Father's true son, full of truth and blessing.
May 24, 2009
Let's Explore Your Passages!
The format I inherited here, and followed for a very long time, waiting for participation to please rise above zero, has proved itself utterly deadly.
New plan:
If there is something in the Christian and/or Hebrew scriptures that puzzles you, or strongly speaks to you, or just plain feels like a rich source for group consideration, please comment here and say what that is.
You may find it in the archives, which are partially mine but include much more from previous members. You may want to comment on anything there; if your comment opens something fresh to consider, I'll repost the passage and we can go from there.
But let's take up something that moves somebody!
New plan:
If there is something in the Christian and/or Hebrew scriptures that puzzles you, or strongly speaks to you, or just plain feels like a rich source for group consideration, please comment here and say what that is.
You may find it in the archives, which are partially mine but include much more from previous members. You may want to comment on anything there; if your comment opens something fresh to consider, I'll repost the passage and we can go from there.
But let's take up something that moves somebody!
Genesis 9-9.17
God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the Earth.
"The awe and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the Earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps upon the ground, and on all fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life (that is, its blood.) For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.
"Whoever sheds the blood of someone,
by someone will that person's blood be shed;
for in his own image
God made humankind.
"And you, be fruitful and multiply;
abound on the Earth and multiply in it."
Then God said to Noah and his sons, "As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the Earth."
God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth.
"When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between you and me and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature on the Earth." God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all meat on the Earth."
"The awe and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the Earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps upon the ground, and on all fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life (that is, its blood.) For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.
"Whoever sheds the blood of someone,
by someone will that person's blood be shed;
for in his own image
God made humankind.
"And you, be fruitful and multiply;
abound on the Earth and multiply in it."
Then God said to Noah and his sons, "As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the Earth."
God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth.
"When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between you and me and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature on the Earth." God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all meat on the Earth."
May 21, 2009
Genesis 8.13->
In the 601st year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the Earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.
The God said to Noah, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh--birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth--so that they may abound on the Earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the Earth."
So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives. And every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the Earth, went out of the ark by families.
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, tha Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.
"As long as the Earth endures
seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, day and night
shall not cease."
The God said to Noah, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh--birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth--so that they may abound on the Earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the Earth."
So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives. And every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the Earth, went out of the ark by families.
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, tha Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.
"As long as the Earth endures
seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, day and night
shall not cease."
April 22, 2009
Genesis 8.6-12
At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the Earth.
Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole Earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him.
He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the Earth.
Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more.
Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole Earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him.
He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the Earth.
Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more.
April 15, 2009
What Do You Mean, "Faith"?
I just read an intriguing comment; this story is about faith! Of course it is; it isn't only about faith but that is an element, one I hadn't considered!
I mean, here's this guy building a huge ship on dry land, and putting everything he has into the job, filling it up with a menagerie of animal squatters, domesticated and otherwise. Either he's got a large tribe of hired help, not mentioned here, or he's had to employ his neighbors for the occasion; aren't they going to talk?!
So far as we know, there has been no person, book, weather report or any external source telling him he needs to do this! It isn't telling him to go smite his Wicked Neighbors, or sacrifice his son to Chluthu, or to do anything antisocial, but he is taking a big step out of Consensus Reality here!
Now we typically hear the word "faith" from some person trying to tell us we need to do what he wants us to do, out of blind-faith in the Bible and in his understanding of what it all means.
But I think "faith" is a lot more about taking a step where we don't see the ground, but only know it's there!
"Belief" is another, related word. I recently read a Borg book where he pointed out something new to me. (Okay, Tony Priete (if I'm spelling him right) had said something similar about Hebrew... Their word for "true" was not about the factuality of a statement, as in Greek logic. It meant something more like "trustworthy, dependable.") Borg says that until recently, we did not say that we "believed in" some statement or other. We "believed" a person; we trusted him. To "believe in God" implied that we agreed God exists, but the essence was, to trust God. It meant that we "beloved" God--which is the expression Borg says came first here.
What else?
I mean, here's this guy building a huge ship on dry land, and putting everything he has into the job, filling it up with a menagerie of animal squatters, domesticated and otherwise. Either he's got a large tribe of hired help, not mentioned here, or he's had to employ his neighbors for the occasion; aren't they going to talk?!
So far as we know, there has been no person, book, weather report or any external source telling him he needs to do this! It isn't telling him to go smite his Wicked Neighbors, or sacrifice his son to Chluthu, or to do anything antisocial, but he is taking a big step out of Consensus Reality here!
Now we typically hear the word "faith" from some person trying to tell us we need to do what he wants us to do, out of blind-faith in the Bible and in his understanding of what it all means.
But I think "faith" is a lot more about taking a step where we don't see the ground, but only know it's there!
"Belief" is another, related word. I recently read a Borg book where he pointed out something new to me. (Okay, Tony Priete (if I'm spelling him right) had said something similar about Hebrew... Their word for "true" was not about the factuality of a statement, as in Greek logic. It meant something more like "trustworthy, dependable.") Borg says that until recently, we did not say that we "believed in" some statement or other. We "believed" a person; we trusted him. To "believe in God" implied that we agreed God exists, but the essence was, to trust God. It meant that we "beloved" God--which is the expression Borg says came first here.
What else?
April 14, 2009
Genesis 8.1-5
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domesticated animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the Earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of the Heavens were closed; the rain from the Heavens was restrained, and the waters gradually receded from the Earth.
At the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had abated; and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the high mountains. The waters continued to abate until the tenth month; on the first day of the month the tops of the mountains appeared.
At the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had abated; and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the high mountains. The waters continued to abate until the tenth month; on the first day of the month the tops of the mountains appeared.
April 09, 2009
Genesis 7.6->
Noah was 600 years old when the flood of waters came on the Earth. And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, and animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah as God had commanded. And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the Earth.
In the 600th year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. The rain fell on the Earth forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons entered the ark, they and every wild animal of every kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the ground, and every bird of every kind--every bird, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded; and the Lord shut him in.
The flood continued forty days on the Earth, and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the Earth. The waters swelled and increased greatly on the Earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. The waters swelled so mightily that all the high mountains under the whole Heaven were covered; the waters swelled above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep.
And all flesh died that moved on the Earth: birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all swarming creatures that swarm on the Earth, and all human beings; everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing on the face of the ground, human beings and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the Earth.
Only Noah was left, and those that were with him on the ark. And the waters swelled on the Earth for 150 days.
In the 600th year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. The rain fell on the Earth forty days and forty nights. On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons entered the ark, they and every wild animal of every kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the ground, and every bird of every kind--every bird, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded; and the Lord shut him in.
The flood continued forty days on the Earth, and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the Earth. The waters swelled and increased greatly on the Earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. The waters swelled so mightily that all the high mountains under the whole Heaven were covered; the waters swelled above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep.
And all flesh died that moved on the Earth: birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all swarming creatures that swarm on the Earth, and all human beings; everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing on the face of the ground, human beings and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the Earth.
Only Noah was left, and those that were with him on the ark. And the waters swelled on the Earth for 150 days.
April 08, 2009
Genesis 6.13-7.5
And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the Earth is full of violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them together with the Earth.
"Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. This is how you are to make it; the length 300 cubits, its width 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks.
"For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the Earth, to destroy from under Heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the Earth shall die.
"But I will make a deal with you; and you shall come into the ark: you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of each kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive.
"Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and them."
Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
Then the Lord said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you and you alone are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the Earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the Earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground." And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
"Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. This is how you are to make it; the length 300 cubits, its width 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks.
"For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the Earth, to destroy from under Heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the Earth shall die.
"But I will make a deal with you; and you shall come into the ark: you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of each kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive.
"Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and them."
Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
Then the Lord said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you and you alone are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the Earth. For in seven days I will send rain on the Earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground." And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
April 07, 2009
Genesis 6.5-12
The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the Earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was continually evil. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the Earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
So the Lord said, "I will blot out from the Earth the human beings I have created--people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.
But Noah found favor in God's sight.
These are the descendants of Noah. [Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.] And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Now the Earth was corrupt in God's sight, and filled with violence. And God saw that the Earth was corrupt; for all flesh had taken up evil ways upon the Earth.
So the Lord said, "I will blot out from the Earth the human beings I have created--people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.
But Noah found favor in God's sight.
These are the descendants of Noah. [Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.] And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Now the Earth was corrupt in God's sight, and filled with violence. And God saw that the Earth was corrupt; for all flesh had taken up evil ways upon the Earth.
March 17, 2009
Okay, on with it! Genesis 6.1-4; trouble coming.
When people began to multipy on the face of the Earth, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives of themselves of all that they chose.
Then the Lord said, "My spirit shall not abide in mortals forever, for they are flesh. Their days shall be one hundred twenty years."
The Nephhilim were on the Earth in those days (and also afterward) when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them.
These were the heros of old, warriers of renown.
Then the Lord said, "My spirit shall not abide in mortals forever, for they are flesh. Their days shall be one hundred twenty years."
The Nephhilim were on the Earth in those days (and also afterward) when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them.
These were the heros of old, warriers of renown.
February 15, 2009
Genesis 4.25-> 5
Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for she said, "God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him." To Seth also a son was born, and she named him Enosh.
At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord.
This is the list of the descendants of Adam:
(When God created humankind, He made them in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them "humankind" when they were created.)
When Adam had lived one hundred thirty years, he became the father of a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him 'Seth.'
The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had other sons and daughters. All the years that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, and he died.
...
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.
...
When Lamech had lived one hundred eighty-two years, he became the father of a son. He named him Noah, saying "Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands." Lamech lived after the birth of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and had other sons and daughters. All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, and he died.
After Noah was five hundred seven years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord.
This is the list of the descendants of Adam:
(When God created humankind, He made them in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them "humankind" when they were created.)
When Adam had lived one hundred thirty years, he became the father of a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him 'Seth.'
The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he had other sons and daughters. All the years that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, and he died.
...
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.
...
When Lamech had lived one hundred eighty-two years, he became the father of a son. He named him Noah, saying "Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands." Lamech lived after the birth of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and had other sons and daughters. All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, and he died.
After Noah was five hundred seven years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
January 21, 2009
Genesis 4.17-24
Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and named it Enoch after his son Enoch.
To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and mehujael the father of Lamech.
Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and have livestock. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Zillah bore Tubalcain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. The sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to me:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech-- seventy-sevenfold.
To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and mehujael the father of Lamech.
Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and have livestock. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Zillah bore Tubalcain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. The sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to me:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech-- seventy-sevenfold.
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