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Matthew 19:3–9
[Bible Verses]A passage in which Jesus, questioned by the Pharisees about divorce, answers by appealing to the order of marriage established at creation and names "fornication" as an exception. It is frequently discussed because denominations differ on how far it permits divorce and remarriage.
Exodus 19:5–6
[Bible Verses]Exodus 19:5–6 is the passage in which God promises Israel, newly arrived at Mount Sinai, that if they obey his voice and keep his covenant, they will be his "peculiar treasure," "a kingdom of priests," and "an holy nation." As the background to 1 Peter 2:9, it is frequently cited in discussions of the priesthood of all believers and of ecclesiology.
1 John 2:1–2
[Bible Verses]A passage expressing the hope that believers will not sin, while declaring that if anyone does sin, Jesus Christ the righteous is an "advocate" with the Father and the "propitiation" for sins. It is frequently cited as a basis for the forgiveness of sins and stands at the center of debates over the extent of the atonement and the meaning of "propitiation."
Revelation 3:19
[Bible Verses]A verse from the letter to the church in Laodicea in which Christ declares that he rebukes and chastens those he loves and commands zeal and repentance. It is frequently cited in preaching as a basis for understanding discipline as an expression of love.
2 Timothy 4:7–8
[Bible Verses]Second Timothy 4:7–8 is a passage in which Paul, facing death, looks back on his life as an athlete who has finished a race and looks ahead to the "crown of righteousness" he will receive on the day Christ returns. A text about persevering in faith to the end and about Christian hope, it is frequently cited at retirement services and funerals.
1 Corinthians 16:22
[Bible Verses]1 Corinthians 16:22 is a verse that Paul wrote in his own hand in the closing greetings of 1 Corinthians. It pronounces an "anathema" (curse) on anyone who does not love the Lord and contains the Aramaic expression "Maranatha." The verse is often cited as evidence of the early church's hope in the Second Coming and of its worship language.
Galatians 1:8–9
[Bible Verses]In this passage Paul twice declares that anyone who preaches a gospel other than the one he preached should be accursed, whether the apostle himself or an angel from heaven. It is a key text on the authority of the gospel and is frequently cited as a basis for identifying heresy.
Jochebed
[People]Jochebed was the wife of Amram of the tribe of Levi and the mother of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. She is known for hiding the infant Moses when Pharaoh ordered that Hebrew baby boys be killed and then placing him in an ark of bulrushes by the Nile.
Joab
[People]Joab was the son of Zeruiah, King David's sister, and served as commander of the army during David's reign. Though an outstanding military leader, he committed murders for personal ends and was executed when Solomon came to the throne.
2 Thessalonians 3:7–9
[Bible Verses]A passage in which Paul and his companions, though entitled to support from the Thessalonian church, worked night and day to provide for themselves and presented this as an example for the believers to follow. It is frequently cited in discussions of self-supporting ministry, bivocational pastors, and pastoral compensation.
1 Timothy 4:12
[Bible Verses]A verse in which Paul urges his young coworker Timothy not to let anyone look down on him because of his youth, but to be an example to the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. It is frequently cited in discussions of the faith of young people and the qualifications of leaders.
Psalm 27:14
[Bible Verses]The final verse of Psalm 27 places the exhortation to be strong and courageous between two calls to "wait on the LORD." It is often cited as a verse about faith during seasons of waiting for an answer from God.
Psalm 103:11-12
[Bible Verses]Psalm 103:11-12 is a passage from a psalm traditionally attributed to David. It compares God's lovingkindness to the height of the heavens above the earth and His removal of sin to the distance between east and west. Regarded as an expression of the completeness of divine forgiveness, it is frequently cited in preaching and as a word of comfort.
Junia
[People]Junia was a member of the early church whom Paul greeted together with Andronicus in Romans 16:7. Interpreters disagree over whether the name is feminine and whether Junia was called an "apostle."
Mount Ararat
[Bible]Mount Ararat is the name of the mountainous region where Noah's ark came to rest after the Flood, as recorded in Genesis 8:4. The biblical "Ararat" originally referred to an ancient region in what is today eastern Turkey and Armenia.
Sodom and Gomorrah
[Bible]Sodom and Gomorrah were cities of the plain of the Jordan described in Genesis. Because of their wickedness, they were destroyed by brimstone and fire from heaven, and throughout the Bible they are repeatedly cited as an example of God's judgment.
Matthew 18:18–19
[Bible Verses]After describing how to deal with a brother who has sinned within the community, Jesus gives the disciples the authority to "bind and loose" and promises an answer to prayer in which two agree. The passage is frequently cited as a basis for church discipline, for united prayer, and for "binding" prayer, and its interpretation varies among denominations.
1 Corinthians 7:10–15
[Bible Verses]In this passage Paul answers the Corinthian church's questions about marriage, conveying the Lord's command against divorce and giving his own guidance on marriage to an unbelieving spouse. It is frequently cited in debates over the permissible scope of divorce and remarriage and over infant baptism.
Numbers 13:33
[Bible Verses]In this verse, ten of the spies returning from Canaan call the inhabitants of the land descendants of the Nephilim and report, "we were in our own sight as grasshoppers." Frequently cited in preaching as an illustration of the outlook of unbelief, the passage also figures in discussions of the identity of the Nephilim.
Golden Calf Incident
[Bible]The golden calf incident is the episode in which the Israelites, while Moses was receiving the law on Mount Sinai, had Aaron make an image of a calf out of gold and then offered sacrifices and held a feast before it. Recorded in Exodus 32, it is regarded as one of the foremost examples of idolatry in the Old Testament.