Catholic Bible 101

21st Century Catholic Apologetics for Mary's Spiritual Warriors

Catholic Bible Verses

Here is what the Bible says on 75 different topics, verbatim, from abortion to homosexuality to witchcraft, so you can judge for yourself what the Bible really says. For instance, there are people who refuse to call Catholic Priests "Father", because of the hyperbole Jesus used in Matthew 23:9.  See what else the Bible has to say about that.  Others say that celibacy is evil and causes priests to do evil things with altar boys.  See what the Bible has to say about celibacy. For Purgatory, click here. 

For a list of ALL 75 CATHOLIC BIBLE TOPICS, click here.

                                   

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And is your salvation a sure thing once you accept Jesus for the first time?

To see where Jesus is prophecied in the Old Testament, click here .

To learn about where the Bible came from, click here.

To learn about Biblical Typology (where a person or an event in the OT foreshadows a person or event in the NT), click here.

To learn about some interesting Bible facts, click here.

To get the devil's take on how he deceives us, click here.

        Catholic Bible Verse Topics
Abortion

Deuteronomy 30:19: "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live".

Jeremiah 1:5: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Psalm 139:13: "For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb."

Isaiah 44:2:Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

Isaiah 44:24:Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the LORD, who made all things,  who stretched out the heavens alone, who spread out the earth -- Who was with me?

Isaiah 49:1: Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.

Isaiah 49:5: And now the LORD says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength

Luke 1:43-44: “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy."

(**Note - Elizabeth called Mary "the mother" while Jesus was still in the womb. John the Baptist, while still a "fetus", leapt in Elizabeth's womb for joy, which proves that the unborn can feel emotions, a very human thing indeed.  The unborn are therefore not something, but rather, somebody.)

Luke 23: 29 “For behold, the days are coming when they will say, `Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!”

(**NOTE - This negative prophecy of Jesus is not something that we should be proud of in our abortion-saturated countries today).

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Alcohol OK?

Deuteronomy 14:26: and spend the money for whatever you desire, oxen, or sheep, or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves; and you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

Psalm 104:15: and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man's heart.

Sirach 31:29: Wine drunk to excess is bitterness of soul, with provocation and stumbling.

Sirach 40:20: Wine and music gladden the heart, but the love of wisdom is better than both.

2 Macabees 15:39: For just as it is harmful to drink wine alone, or, again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one's enjoyment, so also the style of the story delights the ears of those who read the work. And here will be the end.

John 2:3-10: When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come."  His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."  Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.  He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast." So they took it.  When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom  and said to him, "Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now."

(**Note - Here Jesus creates wine from water, a prefigurement of changing wine into His Precious Blood at the Last Supper).

Ephesians 5:18: And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,

1 Timothy 5: 23: No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

(**NOTE - The Bible is clear that alcohol is permissible, although only in moderation. It is NEVER permissible to get drunk, as the Bible condemns that.)

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Almsgiving

Tobit 4:7: Give alms from your possessions to all who live uprightly, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, and the face of God will not be turned away from you.  

Tobit 12:8-9: Prayer is good when accompanied by fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with wrongdoing. It is better to give alms than to treasure up gold. For almsgiving delivers from death, and it will purge away every sin. Those who perform deeds of charity and of righteousness will have fullness of life; 

Sirach 3:30: Water extinguishes a blazing fire: so almsgiving atones for sin. 

Luke 3:11:  "He said to them in reply, "Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." 

Matthew 6:3-4: But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  

Matthew 25:40: "And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." 

Mark 4:24: And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.

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The Antichrist

1 John 2:18: Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, so now many Antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22: Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3: and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of Antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already.

2 John 1:7:  For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the Antichrist.

(**NOTE - The Pope therefore cannot be the antichrist, since no Pope has ever denied that Jesus is God.  Also note that the word "antichrist" is NOT found in the Book of Revelation, which refers more to the destruction of Jerusalem, the harlot, than it does to the end of our world.)

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Anxiety
Matthew 6:25:  "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:27:And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?

Matthew 6:28: And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;

Matthew 6:31: Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'

Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

(**NOTE - This is great advice for our modern world, which seems to be anxious about everything.  Forget all that, and just trust in God our loving Father to provide for you. Then, you don't have to worry about anything!).

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Apostolic Succession

Acts 1: 15-26: In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, "Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus.  For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry.  (Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) For it is written in the book of Psalms, `Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it'; and `His office let another take.' So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,  beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us -- one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection."  And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.

Acts 14:23: And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed. 

Acts 18:24-28: Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures.  He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.  He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aq'uila heard him, they took him and expounded to him the way of God more accurately.  And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed,  for he powerfully confuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

(**NOTE - As good as Apollos was, his theology was not complete.  This shows that while some people preach well, it has to be the WHOLE gospel, as taught by the apostles and their successors, not the part of the gospel that you like or are familiar with).

Titus 1:5: This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you

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The Ark of the Covenant's Final Location

2 Maccabees 2:1-7: One finds in the records that Jeremiah the prophet ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire, as has been told,  and that the prophet after giving them the law instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord, nor to be led astray in their thoughts upon seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment.   And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts.  It was also in the writing that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. And Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance.  Some of those who followed him came up to mark the way, but could not find it.  When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: "The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts. It was also in the writing that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God.

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Baptism

1 Peter 3:30-21: who formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"

John 3:5: Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 

John 3:22: After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized.

(**NOTE- As if to confirm that He was talking about Baptism in John 3:5, Jesus goes out and baptizes people 17 verses later in John chapter 3.  This is the only place in the Bible where Jesus baptizes).

Mark 1:4-11: John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."  In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove;  and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."

Acts 2:38: And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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The Bible Alone???

 (**NOTE- There was no Christian Bible until the late 4th Century, when Pope Damasus I put the Canon together, which was ratified at the Councils of Rome, Hippo, and Carthage.  Therefore, it would have been impossible for the first Christians to have used "Sola Scriptura", or the Bible Alone as a guide to salvation. It wasn't until the 16th Century that this doctrine was invented by Martin Luther.)

Acts 15: 1-30: But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up, and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses." The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." And all the assembly kept silence; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written,  `After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up, that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who has made these things known from of old. 'Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues." Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, with the following letter: "The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting. Since we have heard that some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:  that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell." So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 

(**NOTE - Here the apostles had to make a decision on whether or not Gentile Christians had to be circumcised like Jews before being able to be a Christian.  The Apostles did NOT search the scriptures (The Old Testament).  Rather, they had a conclave and invoked the Holy Spirit as their guide.)

Acts 10: 9-16: The next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. And he became hungry and desired something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common." This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

(**NOTE - Peter would have been searching the scriptures a very long time to find a verse that would say that eating unclean animals was OK.  That was strictly forbidden by the Old Testament at that time).

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The Blessed Virgin Mary

Genesis 3:15: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head,and you shall bruise his heel."

Isaiah 7:14: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Luke 1:26-35: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.  And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?"  And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

Luke 1:41-47: And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit  and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!   And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?   For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.  And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."  And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

Luke 2:25-35: Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,  he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,  "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,  a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel." And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against  (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

John 2:1-5: On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples.  When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."  And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come."  His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

John 19:26-27: When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"  Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Revelation 11:19, 12:1-2: Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;  she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery. 

Revelation 12:13-17: And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had borne the male child.  But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.  The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood.  But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon had poured from his mouth.   Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

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Call No Man on Earth Father?

Matthew 15:4: For God commanded, `Honor your father and your mother,' and, `He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.

Luke 2:48:And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously

John 8: 54-56: Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God.  But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad."

Acts 7:2: And Stephen said: "Brethren and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopota'mia, before he lived in Haran,

Romans 4:12:  and likewise the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but also follow the example of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

1 Corinthians 4:15: For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

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Celibacy

Matthew 19:12 :  When the disciples questioned Jesus about not marrying, He said "Some  are  incapable  of  marriage,  because  they  were  born  so; some,  because  they  were made  so by  others; some,  because  they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven."

Luke 18:29-30 Jesus said to the Apostles "Amen, I say to you, there is no one  who  has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God  who  will  not receive an overabundant return..."

1 Corinthians 7: 25-27: Now concerning the unmarried, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. I think that in view of the present distress it is well for a person to remain as he is.  Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage.

1 Corinthians 7:32-38: I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord;  but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife,  and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband.  I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.  If any one thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry -- it is no sin. But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.  So that he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.

Revelation 14:3-5: and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.  It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are chaste; it is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes; these have been redeemed from mankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb,  and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are spotless.

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Church Unity

John 10:16: And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.  

John 17:18-23: As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.  "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word,  that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,  I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.

1 Corinthians 1:10-13: I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.  For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren.  What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ."  Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

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Confession

Proverbs 28:13: He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

(**NOTE - Besides being unbiblical, not confessing your sins to God's duly appointed ministers (John 20:22) would be like not ever telling your doctor where your physical ailments are).

Sirach 4:26: Do not be ashamed to confess your sins, and do not try to stop the current of a river.

Mark 1:4-5: John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 

John 20:22-23:"And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 

James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

1 John 1:9:  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness

2 Corinthians 5:18-20: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Acts 19:18-19: Many also of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.  And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

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Confirmation

Acts 8:14-17:  Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord, Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.   

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Contraception (Artificial Birth Control)

Genesis 1:28:  "God blessed male and female, saying: 'Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it..."

Psalms 127:3-5:  Children too are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children born in one's youth. Blessed are they whose quivers are full."   

Genesis 38:8-10: Then Judah said to Onan, "Unite with your brother's widow, in fulfillment of your duty as brother-in-law, and thus preserve your brother's line." Onan however, knew that the descendants would not be counted as his; so whenever he had relations with his brother's widow, he wasted his seed on the ground, to avoid contributing offspring for his brother. What he did greatly offended the Lord, and the Lord took his life too."

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Definition of a "Day"

2 Peter 3:8: But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

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Divorce and Remarriage

Matthew 5:32: But I say to you, that anyone who will have dismissed his wife, except in the case of fornication, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever will have married her who has been dismissed commits adultery.

Matthew 19:9: And I say to you, that whoever will have separated from his wife, except because of fornication, and who will have married another, commits adultery, and whoever will have married her who has been separated, commits adultery.”

Luke 16:18: Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. And whoever marries her who has been divorced by her husband commits adultery.

Mark 10:11-12: And he said to them: “Whoever dismisses his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her. And if a wife dismisses her husband, and is married to another, she commits adultery.”

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Luke 21:25-27: "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Luke 21:34-36: "But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare;  for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.  But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man."Matthew 24:3: As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?"  And Jesus answered them, "Take heed that no one leads you astray.  For many will come in my name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places:  all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.  And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another.  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because wickedness is multiplied, most men's love will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come. "So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),  then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;  let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house;  and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle.  And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days!  Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath.  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.  And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.  Then if any one says to you, `Lo, here is the Christ!' or `There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.  Lo, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, `Lo, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out; if they say, `Lo, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.  For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.  Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;  then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory;  and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.  So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.  As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man.  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,  and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man.  Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.  Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.  Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?  Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing.  Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.  But if that wicked servant says to himself, `My master is delayed,'  and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken,  the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know,  and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.

Matthew 25:31-46: "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,  and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.  Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;  for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'  Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?  And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?  And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?'  And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'  Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;  for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'  Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'  And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

"John 6:54:“he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day”

John 12:48:“He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.”

1 Thessolonians 4:15-17: For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. 

2 Timothy 3:1-5: But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  holding the form of religion but denying the power of it.

2 Peter 3:3-12: First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own passions and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation." They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago, and an earth formed out of water and by means of water,  through which the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.  But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist have been stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.  But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! 

Jude 1:17-19: But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;  they said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."  It is these who set up divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

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The Eucharist

Exodus 16:14-15: And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground.  When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.

Matthew 26:26-28: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you;  for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

(**NOTE - The Eucharist is a communal meal, a sacrificial meal, a memorial meal, and a sin-forgiving meal, according to Jesus.)

John 6:53-58, 66-67 : "So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.' After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, 'Will you also go away?'"

1 Corinthians 11:27 : "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord."

Luke 24: 28-31: So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further,  but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them.  When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them.  And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight.

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The Eucharist is NOT Symbolic

Matthew 26:26: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 

John 6:51:  I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." 

John 6:55: For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed.

1 Corinthians 10:16: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 11:27: Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.

 (**Note: The word "symbolic" is not to be found in any passage concerning the Eucharist.  Catholics walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7))

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Exorcism

Matthew 7:22: On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?

Matthew 18:16:That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick

Matthew 8:28-32:And when he came to the other side, to the country of the adarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.  And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"  Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them.  And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine."  And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters.

Mark 3:13-15: And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him.  And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons:

Mark 6:13: And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.

Mark 16:9: Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

Luke 4:41:And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Acts 19:13-16: Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."  Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.  But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Revelation 16:13-14: And I saw, issuing from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet, three foul spirits like frogs;  for they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

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Faith Alone; Works Not Necessary?

Matthew 5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 7:19-27: Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will know them by their fruits.  "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'  And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'  "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;  and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;  and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."  

John 14:12: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.

Romans 2:6: For he will render to every man according to his works:

Titus 3:8: The saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men.

James 2:17-26: So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But some one will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe -- and shudder.  Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works,  and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of God.  You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.  And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?  For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead. 

(**NOTE - Dead faith is no faith at all).

Galatians 2:16:  yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. 

(**NOTE - Works of the law are like ritual hand washing, circumcision, and other laws of the Pharisees.  They are differentiated from good works, which are the good fruit of your faith, which are indeed necessary for entrance into heaven, according to the Bible. See the following verses from Matthew chapter 25, which talk about the absolute necessity of performing the good works of feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and those in prison).

Matthew 25:31-46: "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,  and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.  Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;  for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'  Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?  And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?  And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?'  And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'  Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;  for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'  Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'  And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Hebrews 10:24: and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works

(**NOTE - Works of the Jewish law are NOT good works)

James 1:22-25: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.

Revelation 20:12-13: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done.

(**NOTE - People will be judged by what they had done, rather than in what they said they believed. "Not everyone who says Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father", Matthew 7:21)

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Family Tree, Curses and Blessings

Exodus 20:5-6: you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9: Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.

Luke 11:48-51: So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs.  Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,' that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation .

Matthew 23:30-36:  saying, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.  Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.  You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,  that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah the son of Barachi'ah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.  Truly, I say to you, all this will come upon this generation.

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Tobit 12:8:  Prayer is good when accompanied by fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with wrongdoing. It is better to give alms than to treasure up gold.

Psalm 35:13: But I, when they were sick  I wore sackcloth, I afflicted myself with fasting.I prayed with head bowed on my bosom,

Esther 4:16: "Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish."

1 Samuel 31: 11-13: But when the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'ead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,  all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh and burnt them there.  And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

(**NOTE - This is a primary example of doing penance for people who have died.  The reason these men fasted for the dead was for the remission of Saul's sins.)

Joel 1:14-16: Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God; and cry to the LORD. Alas for the day!  For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.  Is not the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness  from the house of our God?

Joel 2:12 -13 "Yet even now," says the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;  and rend your hearts and not your garments."  Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil.

Matthew 6:16-18: "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 9:14-15: Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Mark 9:28-29: And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting."

Acts 13:2-3: While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

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The Forgiveness of Sin

Matthew 6:15: but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 12:31: Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Matthew 18:21-22:Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:34-35: And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.  So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Mark 11:25: And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Luke 6:37:"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Luke 7:47: Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

Luke 11:4:and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation."

Luke 17:4:and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him."

John 20:21-23: Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Acts 2:38:And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:43: To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." :

Colossians 3:13: forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive

Hebrews 9:22: Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

James 5:14-15:Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;  and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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Good Works Necessary for Salvation?

Matthew 5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

John 14:12: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.

Matthew 25:41-45: Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;  for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'  Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'  Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'

Romans 2:6: For he will render to every man according to his works

Colossians 1:9-10:  And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

James 2:24-26: You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.  And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?  For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.

Revelation 20:12-13: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done.  And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done.

(**NOTE - Paul condemns useless works of the Jewish Law in several places in the Bible. But good works, the other kind of works mentioned in the Bible, are a very necessary fruit of our faith in Jesus (Colossians 1:10), so please don't get the two kinds of works confused!).

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Hair Length

1 Corinthians 11:14-15: Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is degrading to him,  but if a woman has long hair, it is her pride? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

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Hell
 
Matthew 5:22:  But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire.
 
Matthew 5:29-30: If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.   And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
 
Matthew 10:28:  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
 
Matthew 23:33:  You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
 
Mark 9:43-48: And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,  where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 
 
Luke 12:5:   But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!
 
2 Peter 2:4:  For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of nether gloom to be kept until the judgment;
 
(**NOTE - There is a movement today among certain groups of people to deny the existence of hell, because that way we can all just sin and have a good time here on earth with no fear of everlasting fire. Don't be fooled. This is a satanic trap to get even more people to sin. Hell is real, it's hot, it lasts forever, it stinks, it's loud, it's hopeless, it's torture, it's ugly, and it's lonely. Heaven, on the other hand, is beautiful beyond belief, with new colors, heavenly singing, full of love and goodness and it lasts forever too. Choosing the things of this world over the things of the next world is like exchanging a trillion dollars later for a bright shiny penny now. Choose wisely! )
 

Holy Orders

Genesis 14:18: "Melchizedek, king of Salem brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abraham with these words..."

Luke 22:19:And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

John 20:21-23: Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Hebrews 5:5-6:  "In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified Himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to Him: 'You are My Son; this day I have begotten you' just as He says in another place 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

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Holy Water

Numbers 5:17: and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.

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Homosexuality

Leviticus 20:13: If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.

Genesis 19:1-7: The two angels came to Sodom in the evening; and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed himself with his face to the earth, and said, "My lords, turn aside, I pray you, to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise up early and go on your way." They said, "No; we will spend the night in the street."  But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.  But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house;  and they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them."  Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him,  and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.

Romans 1:26-27: For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural,  and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.

1 Timothy 1:8-10: Now we know that the law is good, if any one uses it lawfully,  understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, immoral persons, sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine. 

Jude 1:5-8:  Now I desire to remind you, though you were once for all fully informed, that he who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.  And the angels that did not keep their own position but left their proper dwelling have been kept by him in eternal chains in the nether gloom until the judgment of the great day; just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise acted immorally and indulged in unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Yet in like manner these men in their dreamings defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile the glorious ones.

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Humility and Meekness
 
Numbers 12:3: Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth.

Psalms 10:17:O LORD, thou wilt hear the desire of the meek; thou wilt strengthen their heart, thou wilt incline thy ear.

Sirach 1:27:For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction, and he delights in fidelity and meekness.

Proverbs 3:34: Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor.

Proverbs 22:4: The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.

Isaiah 57:15: For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Sirach 3:18: The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord.

Matthew 5:5: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

Matthew 23:12: whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

James 4:6: But he gives more grace; therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

James 4:10: Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.

1 Peter 5:5: Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

(**NOTE -The devil's great sin was pride.  To humble yourself to God and to your neighbor not only pleases God, but it also fights the devil and his temptations in your life).

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Incense for Worship

Exodus 30:1,7-9,27,35,37:"You shall make an altar to burn incense upon; of acacia wood shall you make it.  And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it,  and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.  You shall offer no unholy incense thereon, nor burnt offering, nor cereal offering; and you shall pour no libation thereon.  and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense,  and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy;  And the incense which you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves; it shall be for you holy to the LORD.

1 Kings 3:3: Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father; only, he sacrificed and burnt incense at the high places.

2 Chronicles 2:4: Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the continual offering of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained for ever for Israel.

Malachi 1:11: For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

(**NOTE - Here is an Old Testament prophecy about the Catholic Mass, which is being continually offered around the world every hour of every day.)

Sirach 45:16: He chose him out of all the living to offer sacrifice to the Lord, incense and a pleasing odor as a memorial portion, to make atonement for the people.

Matthew 2:11: and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

(**NOTE - The 3 gifts offered by the 3 Wismen tell us exactly who Jesus is - Gold is for a king, incense is used for worship, and myrrh is used as a burial spice.)

Luke 1:9-11:  according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.  And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.  And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

Revelation 5:8:  And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints;

(**NOTE - Here we see how our prayers go through intermediaries, the 24 elders in heaven, before they are presented to God in the form of incense.)

Revelation 8:3-4: And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne;  and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God.

(**NOTE - Here we see how the angels put incense into the golden bowls of the saints, so that our prayers can rise to God in the form of incense.)

 

Infallibility

Matthew 16:19: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Matthew 18:18: Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 

Luke 10:16: "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

John 16:13: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
1 Timothy 3:15: if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
Infant Baptism

Luke 1:13: But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth;  for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

Luke 18:15-17: Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." 

Acts 16:31: And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,you and your household."

Col 2:11-12:   In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

(**NOTE - Here Paul compares the entry rite of Judaism, circumcision, with the new entry rite of Christianity, baptism.  Jewish children were circumcised and entered Judaism on the eighth day their life)

1 Corinthians 1:16: I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one  else.

(**NOTE -  The above verses show that the Holy Spirit can come to infants, even before they're born; that infants belong to the Kingdom of God; that other household members can be saved through the belief of another; and that whole households were baptized, which would include infants in most Jewish families of the first century).

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Kosher Dietary Laws Done Away With

Mark 7:18-19: And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him, since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

Acts 10:9-16: The next day, as they were on their journey and coming near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. And he became hungry and desired something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air.  And there came a voice to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common." This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

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The Last Rites 

James 5:14-15 : "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."

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Man's Suffering

Matthew 10:38-39: and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Colossians 1:24 : "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh and I complete what is lacking in Christ's affliction for the sake of his body, that is, the church"

Romans 8:16-17: It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Acts 9:15-16: But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of 


Man's Suffering

Matthew 10:38-39: and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

Colossians 1:24 : "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh and I complete what is lacking in Christ's affliction for the sake of his body, that is, the church"

Romans 8:16-17: It is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Acts 9:15-16: But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of 

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