Search the encyclopedia
1000 articles found for “the shepherds”
Thomas
[People]Thomas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He declared that he would not believe until he had seen the risen Jesus for himself, and he then confessed, "My Lord and my God."
Matthew
[People]Matthew was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, a tax collector who was called to become a disciple. The Gospels of Mark and Luke call the same figure Levi, and he is traditionally regarded as the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
Silas
[People]Silas appears in the New Testament book of Acts as a leader of the Jerusalem church who accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey. In the Pauline epistles and 1 Peter he appears under the name Silvanus.
John 20:31
[Bible Verses]A verse in which the author of the Gospel of John states the purpose of the book: that readers might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing they might have life through his name. It is frequently cited as a key to reading the Gospel of John as a whole.
Galatians 6:16
[Bible Verses]Galatians 6:16 is the benediction with which Paul closes the Epistle to the Galatians, invoking peace and mercy on those who walk according to "this rule" and upon "the Israel of God." Interpreters disagree over whether "the Israel of God" refers to the whole church or to Jewish believers, and the verse is frequently cited in discussions of the relationship between the church and Israel.
Hosea 8:7
[Bible Verses]A verse that indicts the Northern Kingdom of Israel for idolatry and futile political dependence, pronouncing judgment through the agricultural image of sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind. It is often quoted to mean that wrong choices bring even greater calamity.
Ephesians 6:10-18
[Bible Verses]A passage near the end of Ephesians that describes the believer's struggle as a fight not against human beings but against evil spiritual forces. It likens truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the word of God to the whole armor of God and concludes with prayer. It is frequently cited in sermons and discussions on "spiritual warfare."
Matthew 24:30–31
[Bible Verses]A passage in the Olivet Discourse in which Jesus says that after the great tribulation the Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven with great glory and His angels will gather His elect. Because interpreters differ on the Second Coming, the timing of the Rapture, and the passage's relation to the destruction of the Temple, it is frequently cited in discussions of eschatology.
1 Corinthians 15:10
[Bible Verses]In this verse the apostle Paul confesses that his becoming an apostle, and his having labored more than anyone else, are entirely owing to the grace of God. It is frequently cited and discussed as a text that shows how divine grace relates to human labor.
Mark 2:27–28
[Bible Verses]In a dispute over the Sabbath, Jesus declares that "the sabbath was made for man" and identifies himself as Lord of the Sabbath. The passage is frequently cited in discussions of the purpose of the Sabbath commandment, Lord's Day observance, and interdenominational debates over Sabbath keeping.
2 Peter 1:20–21
[Bible Verses]A passage stating that the prophecy of Scripture did not originate in the will of man but was spoken from God by people carried along by the Holy Spirit. It is frequently cited as a basis for the doctrine of biblical inspiration and in discussions of what "private interpretation" means.
Psalm 19:7–11
[Bible Verses]A passage in Psalm 19 that calls the law of the LORD by six names and celebrates its perfection and benefits. Paired with the psalm's opening hymn to creation, it is frequently cited in discussions of the value of God's word.
Revelation 7:9-17
[Bible Verses]Revelation 7:9-17 is a vision of a countless multitude from every nation, clothed in white robes, praising God for salvation before his throne. Interpreters differ over the multitude's relationship to the 144,000 and over the meaning of "great tribulation." The passage is frequently read as a word of comfort at funeral services.
Revelation 21:12–14
[Bible Verses]A vision in which the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written on the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem and the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb on its twelve foundations. The passage is frequently discussed for what it shows about the relationship between the Old Testament people of God and the New Testament church.
Luke 7:22
[Bible Verses]Luke 7:22 is the verse in which Jesus answers the imprisoned John the Baptist's question of whether he is "he that should come" by pointing to acts of healing and to the preaching of the gospel, works that recall the prophecies of Isaiah. The verse is frequently cited in discussions of Jesus' messiahship, divine healing, and the gospel preached to the poor.
Revelation 22:17
[Bible Verses]In this verse from the final chapter of the Bible, the Spirit and the bride (the church) say "Come," and the thirsty are invited to take the water of life freely. Interpreters discuss whether it should be read as a prayer for the Second Coming or as a gospel invitation.
Romans 14:17
[Bible Verses]Romans 14:17 is the verse in which Paul tells believers who were quarreling over food that the kingdom of God consists not in eating and drinking but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. It is frequently cited to distinguish the essentials of the faith from nonessentials and to define the kingdom of God.
Bartholomew
[People]Bartholomew was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. Western church tradition has identified him with Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John.
Isaiah 5:1-7
[Bible Verses]A prophecy that indicts the injustice of Israel and Judah through a song about a vineyard that its owner tended with great care but that yielded only wild grapes. The passage calls for justice and righteousness and is frequently cited as background to the vineyard parables of the New Testament.
John 6:63
[Bible Verses]John 6:63 is the verse in which Jesus tells disciples who found his teaching on the bread of life hard to accept that "it is the spirit that quickeneth" and that his words "are spirit, and they are life." It is often cited in discussions of the power of the Word, and it was one of the key texts in the Eucharistic controversies of the Reformation.