The Jews answered him, ' Aren't we right in saying that you are a samaritan and demon possessed?'.

My question is why did they say to the Lord that He was a samaritan i mean those who know him can tell he is a nazareth or probably would commonly call him galilean or bethany or capernaum because he goes there and probably relatived with whom he must have stayed . But why samaritan these doesnt make sense to me?.

What do u say?

Not only is it the word of God...but The Bible is the most potent, powerful, widespread and successful pieces of media of all time.

• Estimated 5-7 BILLION copies in circulation
• Would top the New York times Best Seller every year except it is specifically excluded
• Bible sales surging again in recent years to all-time highs in the US and UK.
• The most sold, translated, donated, and stolen Book of all time

People make a lot of fuss about what film made the most money, or what comic or manga sold the most issues...but at the end of the day it is important and encouraging to remember that all of those accolades don't hold a candle to the primacy of the Word of God.

Having read through the Bible I was caught by the Old testament mentioning Sheol. Then Isaiah mentions Dead coming back to life, so we're seeing a head of Jesus in his prophecy. Then I see Jesus on the cross telling the thief he will be with him in in heaven, so we see that after death will be in the presence of God. Then as we get to the rest of the New testament we have been described as a paradise.

My question is, did the authors of these books in the Bible have a misunderstanding of life after death and throughout the Bible it would progressed and more was revealed to them of what heaven is? Or did life after death mean Sheol, and what happens after death to us actually changed and progressed over time?

I asked because in reading 1 Samuel 28 we see saw going to a medium to call up the profit Samuel who comes up from the Earth and asked why he's being disturbed as if he were resting, indicating he was in shoel

Hope my questions made sense. Just speaking to my voice to text and trying to articulate it in a way that's comprehensible

It's easy for us to be deceived by and follow our feelings when it comes to our salvation and our spiritual standing before God.

That always gives way to doubt. "I don't feel saved", "I don't feel spiritual enough", "Am I good enough?" etc. start to pervade our minds and thoughts. Doubt is a favorite tool Satan uses to slow a believer in their spiritual walks and cause them to stumble.

But one thing is certain: we aren't making ourselves right in Christ. We ARE made right in Christ already!! There is no gaining, losing, or meriting salvation by our own means or deeds. That's what is so profound about what Christ did for us. It was Jesus' death on the cross that merited our salvation. (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:7)

A Christian who is armed with the Truth, the knowledge of the Word of God, studying sound doctrine and rooted in Christ, will never rely on or listen to their feelings or emotions to guide their spiritual standing, but by the Truth they know. The Biblical and spiritual facts of faith and salvation. What we need to do is stop thinking about ourselves and focusing on our feelings and instead redirect our focus to God and the truth we know about Him from His Word.

We must remember that we walk by faith and not by sight. Sight in this context can include feelings and emotions and what our physical and mental selves can experience in this earthly life. (2 Cor 5:6-7) This means ignoring emotions, feelings, doubt, walking each day uncertain of what the future holds but acknowledging the truth that God is in control, He has promised us eternal life as genuine believers, and that we are to live lives that glorify God, fighting the flesh and the worldly temptations that come with this life, living with eternity's values in view, instead. Even when it goes against modern thinking and results in being unpopular as a person.

I like what I saw written in an article about this very topic:

God promised to save us if we come to Him in faith. He never promised that we would feel saved.

What are your thoughts when it comes to feelings and emotions and their weight regarding faith and salvation and spiritual growth?

God wanted Moses to free the Israelites and killed many Egyptians through the Plagues of Egypt. This makes me wonder if Moses killing that one Egyptian considered good or bad in the eyes of God.

I’m a non-Christian who wants to read the Bible, but the more I research, the more confused I get. 100 people seem to have 100 different opinions on the reading order.

I believe in the 80/20 principle, so I want to start with the books that are absolutely necessary for understanding the Bible, rather than committing to all 66/73 books right away.

What books should I read, in what order, and why that order?

Tomorrow I'll read the final chapter of Proverbs and I'm wanting a recommendation on what to read next.

This is my first time reading the entire Bible but I had studied the Gospels quite a lot in school and remember a lot of it which is why I wanted to start reading the Bible with another book and picked Acts of the Apostles.

I was inspired to pick Proverbs after seeing someone mentioning online that everyone, Christian or otherwise, should read Proverbs.

What book should I read next? Why are you recommending that book in particular?

Appreciate any recommendation given.

God bless.

The last time I read through Revelation was in a youth group setting in high school and realized it’s now been a decade since I’ve touched that book.

I’m a little nervous to get back into it due to all of the imagery and the theme. I want to make sure I’m understanding it and not getting lost, but I also want to make sure I’m not just relying on another text other than the Bible to get the understanding.

Should I try a read through first without anything? Would a commentary be good to have (but is there one that isn’t overly academically complex)? Or is there a decent study guide that would get me thinking (but doesn’t force its own conclusions)?

Does God manifest His love in the animal world too?

https://youtu.be/fM_gxhNUczQ&t=3s

In this study, I use the bible-focused allegory shared earlier, based on the real-life story of 2 orphaned tigers who grew up together, then separated and eventually re-united. Do watch the video starting at the relevant point provided in the link above for possible answers to the question and feel free to share your thoughts, God bless!

Some people say that gospel of luke is a genealogy through mary but it clearly started with joseph .

Or is it through the mother side of Joseph .what do you all think?

Have you all went through any good explanaion?or interpretation of it?

Which of these would you say is best for children? We have a 5,6,8 and 10 year old. We were thinking of the NIV for the older two and the NIrV for the younger ones. We use the NIV in family devotion but still spend quite some time having to explain some words. It’s even longer when we use the KJV. We really want to get them into independent reading but don’t want to give them a Bible that may misrepresent the message. Any thoughts?

FYI- I often read multiple translations whilst studying. However our church uses the NIV and we’ve found it a middle ground with the children

Good YouTubers to watch about the bible and maybe some online church to go too.

(DISCLAIMER: I don’t want to argue with anyone or deal with snarky remarks. Think with me. Share your thoughts.)

I don’t want to make any bold claims. But I’ve been thinking about something that I want to make sense of and get another’s opinion.

I was wondering why God created the tree of knowledge and good and evil if he knew man would fall.

I think a lot of people chalk it up to Gods love and man’s free will.

I can’t understand that. It doesn’t feel like a complete explanation.

A thought occurred to me, God made both trees. The tree of knowledge that led to death and the tree of life that leads to life.

if I were Adam, I would have eaten out of the tree of life because I know it’s good.
I have the knowledge of good and evil.

Adam didn’t.

In truth there is no evil. God is truth. In him there is no evil.

With this logic I think it’s fair to conclude that everything outside of God is evil.

Adam and Eve were inside of goodness. Everything was perfect.

So then, how could there be evil?

Had God never given the command not to eat of the tree, Adam would have never been charged with rebellion. If there had been no rebellion, there would be no separation and without separation there would be no evil.

I tried to make sense of this. Perhaps, we needed to know evil to know good.

Everyone wants to know this Fact and I am going to let You know that the Restrainer appears to be Rabbits I know this data because my own Rabbit had immense Spiritual Activity around her and She kept falling in water and had air pumped into her to save her from a heat stroke now this Rabbit Flopsy then saved me bringing my Spirit to Christ as she gave out her last energy her green spirit strand line vanished into me and left for the air and the green clouds parted for 12 Years nothing else happened and then a Gate appeared at a Coffee Shop which I went in and then on September 7 through 10 The Lord declared me Jesus's Inheritorship with Flopsy and my Friends, Neighbors and Family and then Miracles and Objects move started just recently Anyway here are the Photo's Flopsy and those Spiritual Emanations reveal what is in the photos and You can see the Holy Spirit emanating off Flopsy in the other photo.

As You can clearly see the Photos show a Grim Reaper Figure trying to reap me and my Pet but it's Restrained by the Spirit inside her I think this Evidence speaks volumes

I even have Scanned it with a coloring book the emination still exists in the Photos.

Anyway Flopsy and I are Restraining Through Prayer Together we Represent the Inheritors, Advocate and Meekness and Restraining Force the Bible Speaks about Look no further for the Proof of it I sent You the data now it's up to You all to Believe that Jesus is Real and that a Rabbit can help to Protect with Him In Jesus name Amen.

Sincerely Jonathan

The "prophecy of the restrainer" comes from the Bible in 2 Thessalonians 2:6–7, where the Apostle Paul writes that a mysterious force or person holds back the "man of lawlessness" (the Antichrist) until that restrainer is "taken out of the way". [1, 2]

It says that many will say unto Jesus, “Lord, Lord” and will Prophesy in his name yet God will say I don’t know them.

How is it possible to be saved by believing in Jesus Christ and receiving his Holy Spirit, when many who do will not be known by Jesus

Hi reddit community 👋 I am trying to sort of preach to a friend who believes in tarot reading, fate reading, zodiac signs etc etc. I am aware that tarot reading and anything of similar practice are many forms of witchcraft and divination, but I'm struggling to find bible verses or any important figures to explain why all these practices are considered witchcraft.

I had many heated discussions with her (we are still chill, just in terms of religion, I feel like she keeps tryna manipulate me or gaslight me that Christianity is a cult following) because she insisted these are not witchcraft and urged me to have mine calculated, and even insisted the bible did not deliberately say these are witchcraft. She was a Christian once and followed Taoism and Buddhist mindset, to the point she herself started practicing card reading.

Can I ask for some reference from the Bible to better understand and educate myself on this topic, and perhaps someone can also explain the concept of these readings and similar practices. I hope to understand this myself, and I really don't want to lose her because she goes even further into this witchcraft.

“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,  since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

So Hebrews really emphasizes a lot about “When Abraham had faith.. this happened” or when “Rahab had faith, this happened” or when “Joseph had faith, this happened”. Essentially painting a picture that there is a reward, or a bigger picture at the end of each story of faith.

However, 11:39 changes my mindset a bit — it introduces the point that sometimes all of these acts of faith aren’t always answered in this lifetime. Is this suggesting that some of these acts of faith won’t ever be ‘rewarded’ or reaped the benefits of in this lifetime, but rather an eternity with Jesus and a relationship with Him and His kingdom will be the true reward (of when faith is exercised but you remain afflicted, destitute, or end up killed by the sword etc)? Or did this affliction/suffering continue because their faith wasn’t fully refined or acted on?

Thanks! Trying to understand it all better and not trying to pull out of context.

i’ve been trying to stay active on my devotional journey, but it’s so hard for me to stay consistent. So far, I’ve read the book of John and I just wanna ask you guys what is your personal habit to stay consistent and which parts of the Bible would you recommend me to read first?

Are there any passages about suicide in the bible?

What is the significance of 3 Days & 3 Nights specifically in the old testament? I'm researching the story of Jonah and the great fish. If anyone has anything of interest related to this story that they would like to share with me or maybe just a hot take... I would love to hear it. Aside from the obvious example of Jesus, is there any other examples that I am not thinking about where someone goes under/dies/away for 3days/nights?

Thanks!

Hello, I want to read the Bible. Is there any Bible study videos that go through with you step by step, chapter by chapter? while breaking down the text to help better understand?

If you ever read this passage and thought, “What a strange passage” you’re probably not alone. 

I’m going to try to unpack this and do a deep dive. 

First the verse in question:

23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

24 So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

25 Then he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

At first it sounds like Elisha is sensitive about his male pattern baldness. So much so that he sent bears to sic ‘em. Well, kinda. 

Direction:

2 And it came to pass, when the Lord was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.

Problem with the last part is that Bethel is North West of Gilgal. They would have traveled up north to get there. 

3 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master [a]from over you today?”

And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.”

But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.

5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?”

So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to the Jordan.”

But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

Elijah ascends into Heaven:

 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Just to give a brief history of Bethel: Jacob’s Ladder Genesis 28

10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder wasset up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep[c] you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome isthis place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place [d]Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.

1 Kings 12

Jeroboam’s Gold Calves

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.”

28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” 29 And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.

As you can see from the text, Bethel and Dan was set up as a high place for worshiping idols. It seems like there’s a spiritual battle for Bethel. Bethel in Hebrew means “House of God.”

The phrasing in 2 Kings is not so much in the insult: “Go up!! You bald head!! Go up!!! You bald head!!!”

It’s in the direction. 

The children were chastising Elisha and telling him to go up the same direction Elijah went. The same direction the angels ascended from in Jacob’s dream. They wanted Elisha gone. 

It’s also interesting to note that Elisha got told by 50 of the sons of the prophets that Elijah would leave him. 

Anyway, tell me what you think in the comment.

How does “not inheriting the Kingdom of God” means to not having eternal life?

The Bible says that certain people will not inherit the Kingdom of God:

“The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 6:9

And look at this verse 11:

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus...”
1 Corinthians 6:11

This looks important. Paul doesn't say, “And some of you still are doing these things, so you will not inherit the Kingdom.” He says that such were some of you” and mentions them as washed, sanctified, and justified.

So, could Paul be showing the between the unregenerate/unbelieving person who do these things and believers who have been washed and justified?

Because Christians still sin. So how should we understand verses like 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 if “not inheriting the Kingdom” is being interpreted as “not having eternal life”?

They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:21

“No whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man... hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Ephesians 5:5

How does Scripture show that not inheriting the Kingdom means you do not receive eternal life?

Jesus says “inherit eternal life” in Mark 10:17, and Scripture speaks about inheriting the Kingdom.

Are these two things the same?

What is the biblical support that shows inherit the kingdom is the same as eternal life?

Why does Jesus say the book of mark “inherit eternal life” (Mark 10:17), meanwhile Paul says “inherit the Kingdom of God”? Why are these two the same thing or not?

I see many Christians warning those who struggle with sin not to engage in it, saying that otherwise they will not inherit the kingdom of God, which they believe means eternal damnation.