I am hoping someone would be able to identify a specific bible.

During the 80s's a bible was handed to my mum as an answer to prayer and because of it she became the first Christian in our family and later led other members to christ.. The Bible itself was small and the cover was rainbow colored. Later after testimony, some church members asked to see and borrow it to show others but stole it. I am hoping someone would be able to identify that specific print of bible so that I can at least purchase one for keepsake.

Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. But the Bible is heavily edited example the gospel of Matthew. So what does this mean for Christian teachings that follow bibles with text taken.

mark 18:46, Matthew 20:30, and luke 18:35, have 2 different versions of the same story, 2 of these verses say jesus healed 1 blind man, while the other says he healed 2. if there is anyone who could explain this it would be much appreciated. thanks

I'm at a point in my life where I really need God, and I realize that I believe in Him, but maybe not in the right way. I don't have much knowledge about Him, and I don't know many Bible passages like some other people do.

That's why I want to understand everything I can about God, Jesus, and someone called the Holy Spirit, whose existence I only became aware of last week.

So, is there a tutorial, a ritual, or a book that you would recommend for me to connect with God and understand His world, from the basics to more advanced levels?

So sometimes when I’m studying the Bible and something that confuses me or I don’t understand or need some context on I’ll use chat GPT to clarify it. I’ll usually try to look it up and see if I can get an answer that way but if I can’t that’s when i usually go to chat gpt. Do yall think this is a bad idea or is it ok?

Like it’s the same book, but I different title. What would you call it? Here are some of my ideas

Testament: A redemption story The Revelation of Jesus Christ (or simply Revelation) The tale of The Cross

This is the organization i use. am i weird for this?

Life of Adam and Eve

Genesis

Book of Enoch (1 Enoch)

2 Enoch (Slavonic Enoch)

The Book of Noah

Book of Jubilees

Testament of Abraham

Testament of Isaac

Testament of Jacob

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Testament of Moses

Assumption of Moses

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite

Vision of Iddo the Seer

Book of Nathan the Prophet

Testament of Solomon

Psalms

Psalm 151

Psalms of Solomon

Odes of Solomon

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon

Job

Isaiah

Martyrdom of Isaiah

Ascension of Isaiah

Jeremiah

The Letter of Jeremiah

Baruch

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Holy Children

Susanna

Bel and the Dragon

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

Apocalypse of Abraham

Apocalypse of Moses

Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs

3 Baruch

4 Baruch (Paralipomena of Jeremiah)

Greek Apocalypse of Baruch

Paralipomena of Jeremiah

Ezra

Nehemiah

1 Esdras

2 Esdras (also known as 4 Ezra)

Revelation of Esdras

Apocalypse of Ezra

Questions of Ezra

History of Joseph the Carpenter

Esther

The Rest of Esther

Tobit

Judith

Letter of Aristeas

Wisdom of Solomon

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

Prayer of Manasseh

1 Maccabees

2 Maccabees

3 Maccabees

4 Maccabees

Book of Gad the Seer

History of the Rechabites

Book of Eldad and Modad

Book of the Giants

Testament of Job

Ladder of Jacob

Apocalypse of Zephaniah

Apocalypse of Elijah

Oracles of Hystaspes

Apocalypse of Sedrach

Apocalypse of Daniel

Apocryphon of Ezekiel

Treatise of Shem

Visions of Amram

Book of the Cock

Revelation of Stephen

Infancy Gospel of Thomas

Protoevangelium of James

Gospel of Matthew

Gospel of Mark

Gospel of Luke

Gospel of John

Acts

Epistle of the Apostles

Letter of Peter to Philip

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Philippians

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

2 Peter

1 John

2 John

3 John

Jude

Revelation

Gospel of Thomas

Gospel of Peter

Gospel of Mary

Gospel of Philip

Gospel of Judas

Gospel of the Ebionites

Gospel of the Egyptians

Gospel of the Hebrews

Gospel of the Nazarenes

Gospel of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate)

Gospel of Truth

Gospel of the Twelve

Dialogue of the Savior

Gospel of the Lots of Mary

Apocryphon of John

Apocalypse of Peter

Apocalypse of Paul

Apocalypse of James (First Apocalypse of James)

Second Apocalypse of James

Pistis Sophia

Acts of Andrew

Acts of Peter

Acts of John

Acts of Thomas

Acts of Paul

Acts of Philip

Acts of Barnabas

Acts of Thaddeus

Acts of Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca

Acts of the Martyrs

Apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla

Shepherd of Hermas

Didache

Epistle of Barnabas

1 Clement

2 Clement

Letter of Ignatius to the Romans

Letter of Ignatius to the Ephesians

Letter of Ignatius to the Magnesians

Letter of Ignatius to the Trallians

Letter of Ignatius to the Philadelphians

Letter of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans

Letter of Ignatius to Polycarp

Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians

Letter of the Smyrnaeans

Martyrdom of Polycarp

Apology of Aristides

Epistle to Diognetus

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus

Letter of Pontius Pilate

Clementine Recognitions

Clementine Homilies

Apocryphon of James

Apocryphal Epistle of James

Epistle to the Laodiceans

Gospel of Perfection

Gospel of Eve

Gospel of Matthias

Gospel of Basilides

Gospel of the Encratites

Hypostasis of the Archons

Tripartite Tractate

Book of Thomas the Contender

Thunder, Perfect Mind

Paraphrase of Shem

The Second Treatise of the Great Seth

Allogenes

Zostrianos

Three Steles of Seth

Marsanes

Eugnostos the Blessed

Apocalypse of Adam

Melchizedek

Exegesis on the Soul

The Prayer of the Apostle Paul

The Sophia of Jesus Christ

Gospel of the Four Heavenly Realms

I have a friend in Federal Prison who has found Christ. He was trying to live out the rest of his sentence in peace. He was asked to do something bad by bad people. He refused and wss severely beaten and stabbed multiple times. He barely survived. Face reconstructed and now deaf in one ear. In constant pain... For his safety, he was sent to the hole for the remainder of his stay. 24 hour lock down. No rec time. One phone call a week. Im his phone call. All he has is a bible that a nurse snuck him. Looking for encouraging scriptures, reading plans to keep him sane and make it through. Please keep any condemnation comments to yourself. Let any one of you who is without sin cast the first stone. Prayers are really welcome too.

How is it that, despite the story taking place in Egypt, there’s no mention of Egyptian monuments or architecture like pyramids and sphinx, or the famous temples, obelisks statues, and tombs or the specific pharoah who enslaved the jews at the time?

I have Christian friends that are mother-daughter and I was staying at their place while on vacation. To make a long story short, my friend's daughter came home tipsy/ drunk from a night out with her coworkers and she was making her feel bad citing scripture about drunkenness. I didn't get involved in the argument but I did mention at one point that she shouldn't use the word of God to condemn her daughter to which she asked me where in the bible does it say that? I had no answer but thought that's not God's nature to do that.
I would love to learn from this experience and please let me know if I misrepresented God in any way.

Since love is the greatest commandment, we should really find out what love is according to the Bible because it is very possible for us to love the wrong things.

John 14: 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

John 15: 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Jesus was clear that to love Him was to keep His commandments and that His commandment was to love one another.

Romans 13: 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Love is the fulfilling of the law. It is impossible to love unless we fulfill (do) the law.

If we truly love God:

1- We would not have any other gods before Him.

2- We wouldn't make for ourselves idols.

3- We wouldn't take His name in vain.

4- We would keep His Sabbaths.

5- We would honor our parents.

If we truly love neighbour:

6- We would not murder or hate people

7- We would not commit adultery. A second spouse while the first one is alive is adultery.

8- We wouldn't steal.

9- We would not bear false witness. Many Christians who believe conspiracy theories without proof break this commandment, by the way.

10- We would not covet. We would be content with what we have.

To fulfill the commandments to love God and neighbour, we must fulfill all 10 commandments. Otherwise, we are liars.

1 John 2: 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

John wrote no new commandment, but John wrote a new commandment. How is this possible? It is possible because the new commandment to love can only be fulfilled if we keep the commandments that were from the beginning.

1 John 2: 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

1 John 5: 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Matthew 22: Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Conclusion: To love God and neighbour = to keep the 10 commandments.

hello i’m not a native speaker but i wanna read english bible. i don’t like translations in my language so i thought it would be more accurate if i read in english but i’m not sure whether language is too hard for me to understand or not. I want to read the most accurate one but i hear language is kinda archaic so even native speakers sometimes have a hard time so what you guys recommend to me?

Hello,

I believe once I read a verse in the Proverbs book which said something like: "if a fence is leaning, you must not retain it but push it further" but I can't find this verse anymore. The idea was this anyway.

Anyone would know which verse I read?

Thanks for your answers!

Paul began his ministry with many helpers, but later he said all, except a few, sought earthly things instead of the things of Christ (See Phi.2:21). Realizing the tendency for believers to fade in love for heavenly things, Paul later told the Colossian church that if they had been raised with Christ, they should seek those things which are above (Col.3:1-2). Again, addressing the church of Ephesus in the book of Revelations, our Lord Jesus said they had lost their first love, and must repent and go back to the earlier works (Rev.2:4-5).

It is thus clear, that Christian faith often fades, for only a few of the many who are called get chosen eventually (See Matt.22:14). Starting hot and ending cold has therefore been a long-standing problem of Christians. It is no wonder then, that Christians of today face that problem due to temptations from the Devil, the world and the flesh. It is not surprising that many have stopped going to church, while others who are still in church, are as good as dead to things of the spirit. How many of us still win souls, resist modern day temptations to sin and make it a daily routine to read our bible, pray and be upright for God?

If God chooses a few, why should we not be among them and be received with glory in blissful heaven rather than in fiery hell? Amen.  

Adam sinned and the whole world continues to feel the effects to this very day. Jesus died for everyone's sins but the effects of his sacrifice are nowhere near as apparent as the curse? Even people who are "saved" still experience death.

What is the reason for this disparity? Shouldn't we expect the opposite? That God blessing is stronger than Satan's curse?

Can someone explain

Amen

I’m looking for a verse that essentially says the closer you are to God the more saddened you feel for the world. Kind of like those who are close to Him and His word feel stronger emotions towards the evil in the world. Can anyone help me find it?

I have a few serious questions.

1. What do each of you think of reader’s bibles?
2. What do each of you think of reader’s bibles?
3. Would you purchase a reader’s bible in the KJV translation if one were available?
4. What if it were a KJV-ER (King James Version Easy Read) with pronunciation help of names and updated archaic words, would you purchase?
5. What if it were on pages that were similar to one of a regular book?

I’ve been searching for one but all I can find is small print bibles but they still have chapter headings, titles and verse numbers. I may be the only person who cares for this but came to Reddit to see if there are others who feel the same as I do. I just wish there was a website that allows us to customize our own bibles to do the way we would read them but most translations have copyright restrictions on them so it’ll be impossible. I hope I’m not the only person who feels as such. If I am it’s fine.

TL;DR: Would do you Purchase a Reader’s Bible with easy read text and update archaic words and pronunciation help of names and pages resembling a regular book?

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https://linktr.ee/Bibleimagineddaily
Starting next week, we're diving into the Bible, one minute a day, bringing each verse to life with stunning, Imagined images. Join us as we explore and visualize scripture daily, transforming words into art. Let's journey through inspiration, one beautiful verse at a time.

I've recently started going back to Church and have a Bible tutor. I never really believed because I didn't realise that the Bible needs a good lens of wisdom to understand. For example, I recently learned that the plagues in the Moses story are a reference to the Egyptian gods and show how God is much greater than each and every one of them.

to start, i am a 22m currently in a soon to be year long relationship with 21f. my family was/is catholic christian so ive have experience with the church and was even baptized, had my first communion and confirmation, but the the idea of the religion and god never stuck with me, and even felt like a punishment at times when i wouldn’t behave or do what i was supposed to as child. (school, behavior issues, etc)

my girlfriend, (i believe seven day advantis growing up) follows many christian pastors, watches sermons, and prays everyday, isn’t “too” religious but maintains a personal, spiritual connection with god, and has expressed that having a connection with god, with her partner is something she’s always wanted. (if that makes sense)

now in my heart of hearts, i care for her and do for her the best i can, but the religious and spiritual aspect is something i’m having a harder time getting into but am willing to fulfill her needs and be the husband she dreams of. advice as to where i can start?

I find it odd that Christians see the numbers 666 as a bad omen but yet find no problem with there only being 66 books. But 6x6 = 36

So 666 is really encoded in the Bible itself!

What would you like to ask Adam if you get a chance to talk to him?

God gave me insight through regular knowledge and research about Jesus and his live presence on Earth. Like how he was alive as most people's ancestors were, including mine. I want to go back to church since I knew witchcraft or that path wasn't cut out for me, I don't know where to start and how to either since, it's always brings spirits disguised themselves as beings I thought they were..

Ever since I read the Bible, I have alot of questions especially wanting to know the Gospel better and be back in the arms of the Lord to make myself better...

Does anyone know if I can have extra ribbons sown into my preaching bible? I have one in particular with just one ribbons and I'd like to add two more.

I'm talking about a permanent modification- not using sticky notes or book marks. Any advice is appreciated, thank you!

I think everyone should know this.

A good analogy to illustrate the improbability of such an event — like forming a functional protein by chance from a random sequence of amino acids — is the lottery analogy:The Lottery Ticket Analogy: Imagine you have a lottery where each ticket consists of a sequence of 100 numbers, and each number can range from 1 to 20. Winning the jackpot requires that your ticket matches the exact sequence of the 100 numbers drawn in the lottery. The probability of winning in a single draw is therefore ( \frac{1}{20^{100}} ), akin to the improbability of randomly forming a functional protein. Now consider that not just one, but several specific tickets (proteins) need to win simultaneously for life to begin. The odds become so unrealistic that it's like expecting to win this impossible lottery multiple times in a row on your first try without any mistakes.

Question here, I received a mixed bag about my interpretation of Psalm 128 (particularly on points 1 and 5). I think it is a promise for those who fear God and walk in his ways. I don't believe in the prosperity gospel, but I still think that if your wish coincides with the will of the Lord and you pray for it, seek, knock, he will grant it to you. I will try to write the will of the Lord (presented by His Word) for every single point.

My question here is: is it valid? (I've seen some impressive answers here and like to be tested too lol)

Psalm 128 (ESV):

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.

Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.

The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!

May you see your children’s children! Peace be upon Israel!

Promises:

1. You will labor

- At first it sounds like a sad promise. But in reality, you still need to labor for even a ticket to win the lottery. I am currently looking for a job (thought about being a Chaplin, parents said: "hell no, get a good paying software engineering job, get married, if your wife lets you, you can do whatever you want" 💀) anyway, I am currently looking for a job and I kinda need this promise to cling to.

- As of now I do have things that I can labor on: (It hurts to say this) Listen to parents even if their pursuits seem pointless (God's first covenant with promise), minister at church, apply to taco bell, build a house, the list goes on and I'm not saying I'm not doing these things its just I want MORE (insert kylo ren meme here). And honestly this is not a bad desire because:

Luke 19:17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ (ESV)

2. You will have reward for your labor

- I didn't apply to taco bell, but I did apply to a bunch of software engineering jobs, and after a year, still no luck. Maybe I should just apply to taco bell? Anyway, the point here is that I can cling to Psalm 128 that I will have reward for my toil. I'll have to admit my resume does look pretty sick at this point.

- Also all the menial things that I labor on at the moment, I should expect some kind of return for my labor, even the thing with the parents.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

3. You will be blessed

- I think the biggest blessing I think a person could ever receive is eternal salvation. Hands down, I think ANY fear in the Lord and walking in his ways should lead to this. This is a blessing that I have personally received, and His love has been perfected in me in such a way that it cast out all my fears.

- You guys will have to fill me in here.

4. You will be "well"

- Points 3 and 4 are as vague as the promise regarding listening to parents. I mean its great and all, but not something we can cling on to and leverage in our prayers. If the Lord says, He shall do. I feel like I wont realize it was "well" with me in my life until I'm on my deathbed.. sad reality... I think Solomon mentioned something about this in his wisdom books. I need your enlightenment here reddit.

- Haha, what do you know? By the time I'm finished with this post, I won't need your guy's opinion at all:

3 John 2–4 [2] Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. [3] For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. [4] I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (ESV)

I think walking in freedom is also a great "wellness". At this point, I also walk in freedom from habitual sin that was in my life, making me miserable. Now like a breath of fresh air I can sing: "It is well, it is well with my soul" (turns out that if you feed your spirit and stop feeding your flesh it solves this problem: I said bye bye to all forms of electronic entertainment for those wondering)

5. You will have a wife (I'm a guy, but I think this applies to girls too... in terms of a husband of course)

- Most controversial one here lol

- 1 Corinthians 7:8–9 [8] To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. [9] But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. (ESV)

As of now, I'm currently unmarried, I don't have a problem (for quite while at that) with vile images or self gratification anymore (like a lot of guys nowadays do) (this also checks the box of one of my prerequisites in fearing the Lord and walking in his ways), but I honestly still burn with passion and want to get married. From this I understand that the Word deems it better for me to get married than to remain single

- An argument might arise that there are people that are born that are unable to get married due to physical inability. And here I found a verse about that:

Matthew 19:12 For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.

(For the sake of discussion) I can consider myself as a "eunuch for the sake of the kingdom of heaven". and to further worsen my point:

Isaiah 56:3–5 [3] ...and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [5] I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. (ESV)

In this case, I can't complain about not getting married since I will eventually receive an even greater reward than the one that comes with marriage. Which still does not contradict my point here that psalm 128 is a giant promise.

- Interesting to see that every time that a person abstains from physical relationship, it is to seek the lord:

1 Corinthians 7:5 [5] Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (ESV)

Which maybe might imply that I am indeed "eunuch for the sake of the kingdom of heaven", but at the same time not for long. (yay)

- Here is my main point, since its better for me to get married. The will of the Lord for me is to get married, and I can cling to this promise (Psalm 128) and beg the Lord for a God fearing woman since I very much fear the Lord and walk in His ways. And

6. Your spouse will be fruitful

- Proverbs 31:30–31 [30] Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. [31] Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. (ESV)

I can't just jump off the temple and recite the verse: “He will command his angels concerning you," and “On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Similarly while I'm single now, I cant just go to some labeled "christian woman", marry her, and expect her to be fruitful via Psalm 128.

I still think it is my duty to go, research, and find a Godly woman (with Gods help of course), but at the same time have assurance that whatever God provides me, He will do according to His Word.

Matthew 7:7–11 [7] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. [9] Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [11] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (ESV)

I think that this asking has to be coupled with seeking and knocking. I know that if I ask the Lord for a Godly wife (fish) through my searching He's not gonna give me some adulteress (serpent).

7. You will have kids

- Great, If I had the option to choose, I'd go for identical quintuplets. They also have to be girls.

- To be honest, this point I'm least worried about. Ironically, there is a possibility that the opposite case might be for me soon. Sucks to suck.

- It does say children, which is plural, meaning at least 2 lol

- As previously mentioned about the eunuch, who will have a great name and a monument better than sons and daughters, (again this is all for those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways). I still can't complain if I won't have children, since there will be a greater reward for me.

Interestingly enough, I heard more than one case of a couple getting married, not having children, opening up an orphanage in another country, and having numerous adopted children who drown them with love, and still, after many years pass, God grants them a child of their own, amazing.

8. your kids will grow slowly but surely?

- I don't know about this one to be honest, olives are known to have the slowest growing shoots of all trees. Maybe that translates to better strength during tribulation? Need your guys input here, I'm lost.

In light of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:28 — “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” — is lust universally sinful as Jesus describes it here, or is He specifically referring to lusting after a married woman given the surrounding context of marriage and adultery? Could you provide insights into the original Greek terms used, such as gynaika and epithymēsai, and their cultural and linguistic implications in the first-century Jewish context?

Additionally, there is considerable debate over whether lust is inherently sinful if both individuals involved are single. How does the original language and context of this passage inform our understanding of whether this teaching applies to all forms of lust or specifically addresses marital boundaries? Thank you for your insights!

A few months ago, I began a series recommending six books of the Bible for women to read, and now I’m focusing on Proverbs. I'll admit, approaching this book has been challenging, especially compared to the previous story-based books in the series. Proverbs is also one of those books that Christians often skim for practical guidance on everyday matters. Whether you’re feeling confused, joyful, or navigating relationships, there’s always a verse to offer insight.

Fortunately, I found a video that outlines the structure of Proverbs, dividing it into four parts. I’ve just completed the first part, covering Chapters 1–9, and it's truly a book of wisdom, as promised! The lessons are plentiful. But what came out clearly is that the first nine chapters are all about nuggets of wisdom with the most important relations you’ll have in your life. So, here’s a quick summary of what I’ve learned so far:

1. Wisdom from God – To receive wisdom from above, we must hold God in high regard. Proverbs reveals that wisdom existed even before creation. Listening to God’s voice and seeking discernment through the Holy Spirit can help us avoid temptation. Proverbs 2:16–22 warns against immoral influences, like Solomon resisting immoral women. It also emphasizes honoring God with our first fruits, being humble, and recognizing that God detests pride, evil, and arrogance.

2. Wisdom from Parents – Honor your parents and value their guidance. With more life experience, they often know what’s best for you.

3. Wisdom Within Yourself – Seek knowledge and understanding as if searching for hidden treasure. Trust God completely, rather than relying solely on your own understanding. A key lesson on self is found in Proverbs 4:23: "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts." Additionally, avoid laziness—Chapter 6:6–11 even advises studying ants for inspiration!

4. Wisdom in Relating to Neighbors– Do good to others and avoid unnecessary conflicts. If you’ve made a promise, fulfill it, or seek release if you’re unable to keep it. Proverbs also teaches us to accept correction: wise individuals respect constructive feedback, while the arrogant may react with hostility.

5. Wisdom in Marriage – A wise man will find his wife to be a source of protection, love, and security. Remain faithful and share your love only with her. Avoid seduction.

There’s so much to take from Proverbs, and I feel inspired to revisit it often, praying these teachings take root in my life. It’s quite a lot of information that needs a lot of discernment to practice.

How about you? What insights have you gathered from the first nine chapters of Proverbs?😊