Reflective Bible Study

¹ Gather together—yes, gather together,
    you shameless nation.

² Gather before judgment begins,
    before your time to repent is blown away like chaff.
Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls
    and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins.

³ Seek the Lord, all who are humble,
    and follow his commands.
Seek to do what is right
    and to live humbly.
Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you—
    protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.

Read Zephaniah 2:1-3 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Read Matthew 27:38-44 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, ⁴⁶ and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; ⁴⁸ and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, ⁵⁰ and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” They *This word is present tense in the Greek, but it has been translated as past tense to conform to modern usage.said to Him, “Yes.” ⁵² And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Read Matthew 13:44-52 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

¹ The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. ² After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry. ³ Then the devil came to him and said, “If you are God’s Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:
‘No one can live only on food.
People need every word
    that God has spoken.’”

⁵ Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. ⁶ The devil said, “If you are God’s Son, jump off. The Scriptures say:
‘God will give his angels
    orders about you.
They will catch you
    in their arms,
and you won’t hurt
    your feet on the stones.’”

⁷ Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don’t try to test the Lord your God!’”

⁸ Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power. ⁹ The devil said to him, “I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Go away Satan! The Scriptures say:
‘Worship the Lord your God
    and serve only him.’”

¹¹ Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.

Read Matthew 4:1-11 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!