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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Jeff Goins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Welcome to the NIV Bible for Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Preface to the NIV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Old Testament
Genesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 Chronicles . . . . . . . 524
Daniel . . . . . . . . . . . 1142
Exodus . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Ezra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Hosea . . . . . . . . . . . 1161
Leviticus . . . . . . . . . . 111
Nehemiah . . . . . . . . . 584
Joel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1174
Numbers . . . . . . . . . . 148
Esther . . . . . . . . . . . . 603
Amos . . . . . . . . . . . . 1180
Deuteronomy . . . . . . . 202
Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614
Obadiah . . . . . . . . . . 1192
Joshua . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Psalms . . . . . . . . . . . . 670
Jonah . . . . . . . . . . . . 1194
Judges . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Proverbs . . . . . . . . . . 814
Micah . . . . . . . . . . . . 1198
Ruth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Ecclesiastes . . . . . . . 863
Nahum . . . . . . . . . . . 1208
1 Samuel . . . . . . . . . . 324
Habakkuk . . . . . . . . 1213
2 Samuel . . . . . . . . . . 367
Isaiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . 890
Zephaniah . . . . . . . . 1218
1 Kings . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Jeremiah . . . . . . . . . . 983
Haggai . . . . . . . . . . . 1223
2 Kings . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Lamentations . . . . . . 1066
Zechariah . . . . . . . . . 1225
1 Chronicles . . . . . . . 487
Ezekiel . . . . . . . . . . . 1075
Malachi . . . . . . . . . . 1236
New Testament
Matthew . . . . . . . . . 1243
Ephesians . . . . . . . . 1521
Hebrews . . . . . . . . . 1576
Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . 1290
Philippians . . . . . . . . 1528
James . . . . . . . . . . . 1594
Luke . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1321
Colossians . . . . . . . . 1536
1 Peter . . . . . . . . . . . 1600
John . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1369
1 Thessalonians . . . . 1544
2 Peter . . . . . . . . . . . 1605
Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1406
2 Thessalonians . . . . 1550
1 John . . . . . . . . . . . 1611
Romans . . . . . . . . . . 1448
1 Timothy . . . . . . . . . 1556
2 John . . . . . . . . . . . 1619
1 Corinthians . . . . . . 1467
2 Timothy . . . . . . . . . 1562
3 John . . . . . . . . . . . 1620
2 Corinthians . . . . . . 1498
Titus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1567
Jude . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1621
Galatians . . . . . . . . . 1509
Philemon . . . . . . . . . 1573
Revelation . . . . . . . . 1625
MATTHEW
The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah
genea log y a
This is the
of Jesus the Mes
sia h b the son of Dav id, the son of Abra
ham:
2 Abraham was the fat her of Isaac,
Isaac the fat her of Jacob,
Jac ob the father of Jud ah and his
brothers,
3 Judah the fat her of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the fat her of Hezron,
Hezron the fat her of Ram,
4 Ram the fat her of Amm inadab,
Amm inadab the fat her of Nahshon,
Nahshon the fat her of Salmon,
5 Sal
mon the father of Boaz, w hose
mother was Rahab,
Boaz the fa
t her of Obed,
w hose
mother was Ruth,
Obed the fat her of Jesse,
6 and Jesse the fat her of King Dav id.
Dav id was the fat her of Solomon, w
hose
mother had been Uria hs wife,
7 Solomon the fat her of Rehoboa m,
Rehoboa m the fat her of Abijah,
Abijah the fat her of Asa,
8 Asa the fat her of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the fat her of Jehoram,
Jehoram the fat her of Uzzia h,
9 Uzz ia h the fat her of Jot ham,
Jot ham the fat her of Ahaz,
Ahaz the fat her of Hezek ia h,
10 Hezek ia h the fat her of Manasseh,
Manasseh the fat her of Amon,
Amon the fat her of Josia h,
11 and Jos ia h the fat her of Jecon ia h c
and his brothers at the time of the
exi le to Babylon.
12 After the exi le to Babylon:
Jecon ia h was the fat her of Shea lt iel,
Shea lt iel the fat her of Zer ubbabel,
a1Oris an account of the origin b1OrJesus Christ. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean
Anointed One; also in verse 18. c11 That is, Jehoiachin; also in verse12 d18OrThe origin of Jesus
the Messiah was like this e19Orwas a righteous man and f21 Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua,
which means the Lord saves. g23Isaiah7:14
1244
Matthew 1:25
Matthew 3:4
1244
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Matthew 3:5
Matthew 4:19
1245
not live on b
read a lone, but on every word
that c omes from the m
outh of God.c
5Then the devi l took him to the holy city
and had him s tand on the highest point of
the temple. 6If you are the Son of God, he
said, throw yourself down. For it is written:
He will command his angels
concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot
against a stone.d
7Jesus ans wered him, It is also written:
Do not put the Lord your God to the test.e
8Again, the devi l took him to a very high
mountain and s howed him all the kingdoms
of the world and t heir splendor. 9All this I
will give you, he said, if you will bow down
and worshipme.
10Jesus said to him, Away from me, Sat an!
For it is written: Worship the Lord your God,
and s erve him only.f
11Then the dev
i l left him, and angels
came and attended him.
D187JIM GRASSI
Be. Dont just do.
>> KEY VERSE: Matthew 4:19
Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people.
>> UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT: Matthew 4
Jesus didnt call you to a job description. He called you to know him.
1247
Matthew 4:20
The Beatitudes
He said:
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted
because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
a25
Matthew 5:22
1247
Murder
21You
That is, the Ten Cities b21Exodus20:13 c22 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos)
refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verse23. d22 Some manuscripts
brother or sister without cause e22 AnAramaic term of contempt
1248
Matthew 5:23
Adultery
27You
Divorce
31It
Oaths
33Again, you have h
eard that it was said
to the people long ago, Do not break your
oath, but fulf ill to the Lord the vows you have
made. 34But I tell you, do not swear an oath
at all: eit her by heaven, for it is G
ods t hrone;
35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by
Jer usalem, for it is the city of the G
reat King.
36And do not s wear by your head, for you
cannot make even one hair white or black.
37All you need to say is simply Yes or No;
anyt hing beyond this comes from the evil
one.c
Matthew 6:6
Prayer
5And when you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites, for they love to pray standi ng in
the synagogues and on the s treet corners to
be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have
received t heir reward in full. 6But when you
pray, go into your room, c lose the door and
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fter his speech in Nazareth, Jesus began a traveling ministry of teaching and
healing. If you want to see Jesus platform, the place to look is the Beatitudes
and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 57). These teachings arent election
winners or great plans for leading an empire. But thats not the point. Something much
more radical was going on.
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find
it (Matthew 10:39). Ever heard that from a presidents mouth?
You gotta love Jesus imagination. Author and professor Walter Wink does brilliant
work exploring Jesus creativity in his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, especially
in the familiar turn the other cheek verses (Matthew 5:3842). Wink points out that
Jesus was not suggesting that we let people sadistically step all over us. Jesus taught
enemy love with imagination. He gave three real examples of how to interact with our
adversaries. In each instance, Jesus points us toward disarming others. Jesus teaches us
to refuse to oppose evil on its own terms. He invites us to transcend both passivity and
violence through a third way.
When hit on the cheek, turn and look the person in the eye (v. 39). In the orderly
Jewish culture, a person would hit someone only with the right hand. (Its sort of like
how some cultures have a wiping hand and an eating hand, designated purposes
with respective cultural taboos.) In some Jewish communities, if you hit someone
with the left hand, you could be banished for ten days. So a person would have to use
a backslap to hit someone on the right cheek with the right hand. Its clear that Jesus
described a backhand, like an abusive husband to a wife or a master to a slave. It was a
slap to insult, degrade, and humiliate, a slap meant not for an equal but for an inferior,
to put someone in their place. But by turning the cheek, the person made the abuser
look them in the eye, and the abuser could now only hit them with a fist, as an equal.
By turning the cheek, the other person said, I am a human being, made in the image
of God, and you cannot destroy that. Do not cower and do not punch back. Make
sure the person looks into your eyes and sees your sacred humanity, and it will become
increasingly harder for that person to hurt you.
>> BRING IT TO LIFE:
Pray for your enemies, and show your spiritual strength. Remember
that Jesus said, But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those
who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:4445)
For the next reading, go to page 1252. For the next myth, go to page 1266.
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1250
Matthew 6:7
Fasting
16When you fast, do not look somber as
the hypoc rites do, for they disfigu re their
faces to show others they are fasti ng. Truly
I tell you, they have received t heir rew ard
in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your
head and wash your face, 18so that it will not
be obv ious to others that you are fasti ng, but
only to your Fat her, who is unseen; and your
Fat her, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you.
Treasures in Heaven
19Do not s
tore up for yourselves treasures
on earth, where moths and verm in destroy,
and where t hieves break in and steal. 20But
store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
w here moths and verm in do not destroy,
and where t hieves do not break in and steal.
21For w
here your treasure is, there your
heart will be also.
22The eye is the lamp of the body. If your
hole body will be
eyes are healthy,c your w
full of light. 23But if your eyes are unhealthy,d
your whole body will be full of darkness. If
Matthew 7:5
1250
Do Not Worry
25Therefore I tell you, do not worr y about
your life, what you will eat or d rink; or a bout
your body, what you will wear. Is not life
more than food, and the body more than
clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they
do not sow or reap or s tore away in b
arns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?
27Can any one of you by worr yi ng add a sin
gle hour to your lifee?
28And why do you worr y about c lothes?
See how the flowers of the f ield grow. They
do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that
not even Solomon in all his splendor was
d ressed like one of t hese. 30If that is how God
clothes the g rass of the f ield, which is here
today and tomorrow is t hrown into the fire,
will he not much more clothe youyou of
litt le faith? 31So do not worr y, sayi ng, What
shall we eat? or What s hall we d
rink? or
What shall we wear? 32For the pagans run
after all t hese t hings, and your heavenly Fa
ther k nows that you need them. 33But seek
f irst his kingdom and his righteousness, and
all t hese t hings will be given to you as well.
34Therefore do not wor r y about tomor row,
for tomorrow will worr y a bout itself. Each
day has e nough trouble of its own.
Judging Others
a13 TheGreek for temptation can also mean testing. b13Orfrom evil; some late manuscripts one, / for
yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. c22 TheGreek for healthy here implies
generous. d23 TheGreek for unhealthy here implies stingy. e27Orsingle cubit to your height
1251
Matthew 7:6
Matthew 8:9
1251
TheGreek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
If we always compare ourselves with those in financial brackets above us, we will
never feel content. We look above us and think that we dont have enough. And our
culture works hard to keep us looking up. But when we take a moment to realize the
financial brackets of those below us, we gain immediate perspective. The United States
has just 5 percent of the worlds population but consumes 30 percent of the worlds
resources. If the whole world consumed at the rate of the United States, we would need
three, four, or five planets just to accommodate everything.
If you own a car, no matter what kind, youre among only 8 percent of the world. The
rest of the world92 percentwould be envious of your fortune.
It has been estimated that 1.1 billion people dont have access to clean drinking
water.3 They would probably look at us and say, We cant imagine not having to walk
six miles for water, but simply turning on a tap in our homes. Severe hunger afflicts 862
million people each year. Some experts say to completely solve global hunger would cost
about thirty billion dollars a year. Americans spend more than that each year on pizza.
For much of the world, we are the ones living the dream.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers: Do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink; or about your body; what you will wear. Is not life more than
food, and the body more than clothes?... So do not worry saying What shall we eat? or
What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things,
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:25,3133).
1. Steve Wieberg, Analysts: Bronze medal leads to more happiness than silver, USA Today, February 22, 2010.
2. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009; 1.
3. Water Supply and Sanitation, accessed February 13, 2011, http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/index.php?id=23 .
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Matthew 8:10
Matthew 9:8
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Matthew 9:9
Matthew 10:2
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10
D190LEONARD SWEET
Dont lead. Instead, follow!
>> KEY VERSE: Matthew 9:9
As J
esus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the
tax collectors booth. Follow me, he told him, and Matthew got up and
followed him.
>> UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT: Matthew 9
Christians talk all the time about how the right leaders are needed to build
momentum. However, Jesus shows us that whats really needed are the right
followers.
This is the great tragedy of the church in the last fifty years: We have changed Pauls
words, Follow me as I follow Christ,5 to Follow me as I lead for Christ. Over and over we
hear, What the church needs is more and better leaders, or Training leaders is job one.
-1256-
Really?
Jesus said, Go and make disciples. We stopped and built worship warehouses.
Jesus said, Follow me. We heard, Be a leader.
Paul said, Do the work of an evangelist. Weve done the work of a marketer.
Somewhere back in the past half century, we diagnosed the churchs problem
as a crisis of leading, not a crisis of following. Its as if we read Bonhoeffers Cost of
Discipleship and decided wed rather talk about something else entirely...
I bet youve put your arm around more than one person and complimented his or her
leadership abilities. Ever encourage someone with Youve got great followership skills?
Ever read the Bible and focus not on leadership skills and lessons but on relational skills
and followership lessons?
The blue-collar Messiah who moved along the margins and among the common folk
has been pushed aside by personal assistants, green rooms, bodyguards, valet parking,
and reserved seats. Would we rather have a church filled with high-level leaders or a
church filled with lowly, humble followers la Brother Francis and Mama T (Mother
Teresa)?
The cry for leadership is deafening amid our social disintegration, our moral
disorientation. We have come to believe that we have a leadership crisis while all along
we have been in a drought of discipleship. The Jesus paradox is that only Christians lead
by following.
1. Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; John 1:43, for example
2. Matthew 4:19
3. John 21:22
4. I Have Decided to Follow J esus, words attributed to S. Sundar Singh.
5. Paraphrased from 1Corinthians 11:1
1258
Matthew 10:3
Matthew 10:42
1258
TheGreek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
1259
Matthew 11:1
11
Matthew 12:2
1259
we sang a dirge,
and you did not mourn.
18For John came neit her eating nor drink
ing, and they say, He has a demon. 19The
Son of Man came eati ng and drinki ng, and
they say, Here is a glutton and a drunka rd, a
f riend of tax collectors and sinners. But wis
dom is p
roved r ight by her deeds.
12
TheGreek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases
affecting the skin. c10Mal.3:1 d12Orbeen forcefully advancing e23 That is, the realm of the dead
1260
Matthew 12:3
Matthew 12:37
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Matthew 12:38
13
Matthew 13:17
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1262
Matthew 13:18
18Lis
t en then to what the parable of
the sower means: 19When anyone hears
the message about the kingdom and does
not understand it, the evil one c omes and
snatches away what was sown in t heir h
eart.
This is the seed sown a long the path. 20The
seed falli ng on rocky g round refers to some
one who hears the word and at once receives
it with joy. 21But since they have no root, they
last only a s hort time. When trouble or per
sec ut ion comes bec ause of the word, they
quickly fall away. 22The seed falli ng a mong
the t horns refers to someone who hears the
word, but the worr ies of this life and the de
ceitf ulness of wealth choke the word, mak
ing it un f ruit f ul. 23But the seed falling on
good soil refers to someone who hears the
word and understands it. This is the one who
produces a crop, yieldi ng a hund red, sixt y or
thirt y t imes what was sown.
Matthew 13:48
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1263
Matthew 13:49
14
Matthew 14:27
1263
of his o
aths and his dinner g uests, he or
dered that her request be granted 10and had
John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was
brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who carr ied it to her mother. 12Johns disci
ples came and took his body and buried it.
Then they went and told J esus.
1264
Matthew 14:28
Matthew 15:30
1264
21Leaving that p
lace, Jesus withd rew to
the reg ion of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite
woma n from that vicinit y came to him, cry
ing out, Lord, Son of Dav id, have merc y on
me! My daughter is demon-possessed and
suf feri ng ter r ibly.
23Jesus did not ans wer a word. So his dis
ciples came to him and u rged him, Send her
away, for she k eeps cryi ng out afterus.
24He ans wered, I was sent only to the lost
sheep of Israel.
25The woma n came and k nelt before him.
Lord, help me! she said.
26He replied, It is not r ight to take the
child rens b
read and toss it to the dogs.
27Yes it is, Lord, she said. Even the dogs
eat the crumbs that fall from t heir masters
table.
28Then
Jesus said to her, Woma n, you
have g reat faith! Your request is granted.
And her daughter was healed at that mo
ment.
15
Some manuscripts
1265
Matthew 15:31
16
Matthew 16:21
1265
Some early manuscripts do not have When evening comes... of the times. b18 The Greek word for
Peter means rock. c18 That is, the realm of the dead d19Orwill have been
MYTH #38
ts not as if Im out there looking for these kinds of situations. But lets be real.
Its a pretty raw, decadent world out there. And I travel, so I see a lot. Even
when Im really trying to focus on business and remember whats true, its in
my face all the time.
Last week was a classic example. Im on the road three days straight. And
everythings great. Good contacts. Making some sales. On the final night, I go
down to the hotel restaurant to get a bite, and I get this really cute waitress. Im
like, Whoa! So I try not to even look. I wolf down my meal and head upstairs.
But now Im all restless. So I go to the workout room and jump on a treadmill,
and in walks this really attractive, shapely, 20-something woman ... and she
starts flirting with me. I mean, shes totally coming on to me! Asking me my
room number. Do I have a Jacuzzi in my room? How good am I at back rubs?
And, hey, Im not gonna lie. To be approaching 40 and to be propositioned like
that ... by someone like that? I mean, wow.
I manage to come to my senses and escape back to my room. But now the
adrenaline or hormones or whatever are pumping all through my system. Im like
a heat-seeking missile. I flick on the TV, and wouldnt you know it, the first thing
on the screen is some movie with a steamy sex scene.
So by then its over. Its unavoidable. The temptation is just too irresistible.
Istart channel surfing, and I guess you can probably guess the rest of the
story...
Greg
-1266-
hange the details and the name, and Gregs story is every mans story. We all (sooner
or later, or sooner and later) find ourselves in situations where the lure to do wrong
is so powerful that it feels absolutely irresistible. But is it? Can we ever truly make
the excuse, I just couldnt help it? Here are some Biblical reminders and a bit of practical
counsel:
Read the Old Testament story of Joseph (see Genesis 37 and 39). He was a virile,
handsome young guy, forced to live in the face of constant seduction. And if any guy
ever had an excuse to say, The temptation
Nothing makes it easier
was just too much or to rationalize why he
to resist temptation than
deserved a little illicit pleasure, he did. But
a proper bringing-up,
consider the choices Joseph made.
a sound set of values
Spend some time focusing on 1Corinthians
and witnesses.
10:13: No temptation has overtaken you
Franklin P. Jones
except what is common to mankind. And God
is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. What does this verse
promise for you, right now, today?
Mull over those tempting situations in your life that seem to rear their heads all the
time. When and where are you most enticed to do wrong? What way out do you see
in each of those seductive situations?
If you have fallen, confide in a trusted Christian friend (or two). Do what the apostle
James commands: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed (James 5:16). Know that Gods grace is deep and wide.
Take drastic action. If your Achilles heel is downloading steamy movies, cancel your
account. If you tend to stumble and fall into pornography online, buy and install a
porn filter or consider getting rid of your online service altogether. Its not extreme; its
shutting the door on temptations that can and should be avoided so that your life is full
of joy and Gods peace.
For the next reading, go to page 1270. For the next myth, go to page 1296.
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1268
Matthew 16:22
The Transfiguration
17
Matthew 17:25
1268
TheGreek word means either life or soul; also in verse26. b21 Some manuscripts include here
words similar to Mark9:29.
1269
Matthew 17:26
Matthew 18:25
1269
18
Causing to Stumble
6If any
one cause s one of these little
onesthose who bel ieve in meto stum
ble, it w
ould be better for them to have a
large millstone hung a round t heir neck and
to be d rowned in the d
epths of the sea. 7Woe
to the world because of the t hings that cause
people to stumble! Such t hings must come,
but woe to the person t hrough whom they
come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you
to stumble, cut it off and t hrow it away. It is
better for you to enter life maimed or crip
pled than to have two hands or two feet and
be thrown into eternal fire. 9And if your
eye causes you to stumble, g ouge it out and
t hrow it away. It is better for you to enter life
with one eye than to have two eyes and be
t hrown into the fire of hell.
Some manuscripts include here the words of Luke19:10. b15 The Greek word for brother or sister
(adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35. c15Some
manuscripts sins against you d16Deut.19:15 e18Orwill have been f22Orseventy times seven
g24Greekten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20years of a day laborers wages.
D191STEVE SJOGREN
Dont give up
>> KEY VERSE: Matthew 18:4
Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven.
>> UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT: Matthew 18
Sometimes you simply need to duct tape your hand to the plow.
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Matthew 18:26
Divorce
19
When
Jesus had fin
i shed say
i ng
t hese t hings, he left Gali lee and went
into the reg ion of Judea to the other side of
the Jordan. 2Large crowds followed him, and
he h
ealed them there.
3Some Pharisees came to him to test him.
They asked, Is it lawf ul for a man to divorce
his wife for any and every reason?
4Havent you read, he replied, that at
the beg inn ing the Creator made them male
and female, b 5and said, For this reason a
man will leave his fat her and mother and be
united to his wife, and the two will become
one f lesh c? 6So they are no longer two, but
one f lesh. Therefore what God has joined to
gether, let no one sepa rate.
7Why then, they a
sked, did Moses com
mand that a man give his wife a cert ificate of
divorce and send her away?
Matthew 19:22
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people b
rought litt le child ren to
Jesus for him to place his hands on them
and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked
them.
14Jesus said, Let the litt le child ren come
to me, and do not hinder them, for the king
dom of heaven belongs to such as these.
15When he had placed his hands on them, he
went on from there.
a28Greeka hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).
b4Gen.1:27 c5Gen.2:24 d19Exodus20:12-16; Deut.5:16-20 e19Lev.19:18
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Matthew 19:23
20
Matthew 20:23
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A Mothers Request
20Then the moth
er of Zebe dees sons
came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling
down, a sked a favor of him.
21What is it you want? he asked.
She said, Grant that one of t hese two sons
of mine may sit at your r ight and the other at
your left in your kingdom.
22You d
ont know what you are aski ng,
Jesus said to them. Can you d
rink the cup I
am goi ng to drink?
We can, they answered.
23Jesus said to them, You will in
deed
d rink from my cup, but to sit at my r ight or
left is not for me to g rant. T hese places be
long to t hose for whom they have been pre
pared by my Fat her.
Some manuscripts do not have or wife. b2 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer.
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Matthew 20:24
21
See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of
a donkey.a
6The disc iples went and did as J esus had
instructed them. 7They brought the don
key and the colt and placed t heir cloaks on
a5Zech.9:9 b9
Matthew 21:20
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Matthew 21:21
21Jesus re
plied, Truly I tell you, if you
have faith and do not doubt, not only can you
do what was done to the fig tree, but also you
can say to this mountain, Go, t hrow yourself
into the sea, and it will be done. 22If you be
lieve, you will receive whatever you ask for
in prayer.
Matthew 22:3
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22
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Matthew 22:4
Matthew 22:43
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15Then
Aspecial tax levied on subject peoples, not on Roman citizens b32Exodus3:6 c37 Deut.6:5
d39Lev.19:18
D192BOB GOFF
Have you accepted all of lifes invitations?
>> KEY VERSE: Matthew 22:4
Then he sent some more servants and said, Tell those who have been
invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have
been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.
>> UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT: Matthew 22:114
Most Christians consider themselves invited to the final wedding feast. But what
about other invitations in life that J
esus extends? Have you accepted those as
well?
hen you read the Bible, the people who loved Jesus and followed Him were
the ones like me who dont get invited places. Yet Jesus told His friends they
were invited anyway. In fact, He told them that the religious people werent
the ones who decided who got into heaven and who didnt. He said the people who
followed Him should think of themselves more like the ushers rather than the bouncers,
and it would be God who decides who gets in. Were the ones who simply show people
their seats that someone else paid for...
A couple of other things happen when we accept Jesus invitation to participate with
Him in life. Obstacles that seem insurmountable arent. Impediments that we believe
disqualify us dont. When we show up to participate with Jesus in the big life, were
participating with the very being who made life in the first place. He gently asks us how
we are and invites us to get better together with Him.
Accepting the invitation to show up in life is about moving from the bleachers to the field.
Its moving from developing opinions to developing options. Its about having things matter
to us enough that we stop just thinking about those things and actually do something about
them. Simply put, Jesus is looking for us to accept the invitation to participate. Its like the
president is calling and we just need to answer the phone. We need to show up.
When we accept lifes invitation, its contagious too. Other people will watch us and
start seeing life as something more amazing, more whimsical than before. When you
show up to the big life, people (the type who dont think theyre invited) start seeing
invitations everywhere as thick as colorful fall leaves. They dont think about their pain
or their weakness any longer. Instead, they think about how incredible a big life really is
and how powerful the one who is throwing the banquet is too.
Jesus wants us to come. Hes sending His servants out to tell the people standing
at the fences and in the libraries that theyre invited to the party. Hes sending you an
invitation too, in the sunrise, in the sound of a bird, or in the smell of coffee drifting
lazily from the kitchen. The one who has invited you is way more powerful than any of
the impediments we think were facing, and He has just one message for us. He leans
forward and whispers quietly to each of us, Theres more room.
>> BRING IT TO LIFE:
Have you accepted Gods invitations to be blessed, to be a disciple, to
appreciate Gods will, to have the Holy Spirit as your teacher?
For the next reading, go to page 1278. For the next myth, go to page 1296.
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Matthew 22:44
23
Matthew 23:31
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That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm
Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark12:40 and Luke20:47.
One of the surprising insights from our research is that the growing hostility toward
Christians is very much a reflection of what outsiders feel they receive from believers.
They say their aggression simply matches the oversized opinions and egos of Christians.
One outsider put it this way: Most people I meet assume that Christian means very
conservative, entrenched in their thinking, antigay, antichoice, angry, violent, illogical,
empire builders; they want to convert everyone, and they generally cannot live
peacefully with anyone who doesnt believe what they believe.
Why would present-day Christianity inspire such unfavorable reactions? Our studies
explored the nature of the perceptions about Christianitynot just pro or con but the
substance of how people feel about Christians and Christianity. The central goal was not
just to determine if people feel negatively but why. What are we known for?
One crucial insight kept popping up in our exploration. In studying thousands of
outsiders impressions, it is clear that Christians are primarily perceived for what they
stand against. We have become famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for.
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Matthew 23:32
24
Matthew 24:29
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Matthew 24:30
Matthew 25:16
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25
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Matthew 25:17
Matthew 26:5
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26
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Matthew 26:6
Matthew 26:39
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6While
Gethsemane
36Then Jesus went with his disc iples to
a place called Gethsema ne, and he said to
them, Sit here w hile I go over there and
pray. 37He took Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee a long with him, and he began to
be sor row f ul and troubled. 38Then he said
to them, My soul is overwhelmed with sor
row to the point of d
eath. Stay here and keep
watch withme.
39Goi ng a litt le fart her, he fell with his face
to the g round and p
rayed, My Fat her, if it is
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Matthew 26:40
Jesus Arrested
47While he was s
till speaki ng, Judas, one
of the T
welve, arr ived. With him was a l arge
c rowd a rmed with s words and clubs, sent
from the chief p
riests and the elders of the
people. 48Now the bet rayer had arranged a
signal with them: The one I kiss is the man;
ar rest him. 49Goi ng at once to J esus, Judas
said, Greeti ngs, Rabbi! and k issed him.
50Jesus replied, Do what you came for,
friend.a
Then the men stepped forw ard, s eized
Jesus and ar rested him. 51With that, one of
Jesus compan ions reached for his s word,
drew it out and s truck the servant of the high
priest, cutt ing off his ear.
52Put your s word back in its place, Jesus
said to him, for all who draw the s word will
die by the sword. 53Do you t hink I cannot call
on my Fat her, and he will at once put at my
disposa l more than t welve leg ions of angels?
54But how then would the Script ures be ful
filled that say it must happen in this way?
55In that hour
Jesus said to the c rowd,
Am I leading a rebellion, that you have
come out with s words and c lubs to capt ure
me? Every day I sat in the temple c ourts
teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56But
this has all taken p
lace that the writi ngs of
Matthew 26:71
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Matthew 26:72
27
Matthew 27:30
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14But
SeeZech. 11:12,13; Jer. 19:1-13; 32:6-9. b16 Many manuscripts do not have Jesus; also in verse 17.
D194KEVIN DEYOUNG
Is your church holy, or full of holes?
>> KEY VERSES: Matthew 28:1920
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to
the very end of the age.
>> UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT: Matthew 28
The Christian church is full of holes when it comes to holiness. J
esus commands
us to obey his commands, and yet we usually dismiss the holiness altogether.
ow do I know there is a hole in our holiness? Well, I dont. Who can possibly
assess the state of the evangelical church or the church in North America, let
alone the church around the globe? I could give you statistics about pastoral
meltdowns or figures about the worldliness of the average churchgoer. Youve probably
seen them before and paid little attention. Anyone can say anything with statistics.
Seventy-three percent of registered voters know that.
So I make no claim to have scientifically proven that Christians are neglecting the
pursuit of holiness. But Im not the first to think there is something missing in the
contemporary church scene. In his book Rediscovering Holiness, J. I. Packer claims that
present-day believers find holiness pass.1 He cites three pieces of evidence: (1) We do
not hear about holiness in preaching and books. (2) We do not insist upon holiness in
our leaders. (3) We do not touch upon the need for personal holiness in our evangelism.
These observations sound right to me.
But if you dont want to take Packers word for it, think about these three diagnostic
questions based on three passages of Scripture:
1. Is Our Obedience Known to All?
In most of Pauls letters he gives his churches a lot of encouragement. He usually
begins by saying something like, Im so thankful for you. You guys are awesome. I think
about you all the time, and when I do, it makes me praise God. Hes a proud spiritual
papa. But he wasnt passing out My Christian is an honor roll saint at the Apostolic
School for the Gifted bumper stickers. He didnt have to. Others noticed for themselves.
In Romans 16:19, for example, Paul says, Everyone has heard about your obedience.
Granted, reputations can be wrong (Revelation 3:1), and the Romans had their own
issues to work out. But this commendation at the end of Romans forces us to ask the
question: Is obedience what your church is known for?...
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Matthew 27:31
Matthew 27:66
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Some manuscripts Eloi, Eloi b46Psalm22:1 c53Ortombs, and after Jesus resurrection they
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Matthew 28:1
28
Matthew 28:20
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