Lesson 2 -- Bible Passages

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1. LK 2:10.11
   
   And the angel said to them, "Don’t be afraid! I bring you the good news that will bring great joy to all the people. For this very night, in the City of David, the Saviour, Christ, the Lord, was born."
   
   
2. MT 2:01.11
   
   Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod. At that same time, wise men from the East arrived at Jerusalem, asking, "Where can we find the newborn King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the East and have come to honor him."
   
   When Herod heard about this, he became understandably concerned because he considered the child a threat to his throne. He called together all the chief priests and religious authorities and demanded to know from them where the Messiah should be born. And they told him, "In Bethlehem in Judea, for it is written by the prophet, Micah, ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the cities of Judah, because from you shall rise a leader who shall rule my people, Israel.’"
   
   Herod then summoned the wise men for a meeting and inquired from them just when they first saw the star. Then, he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search for the young child there; and when you have found him, bring me back word so that I may also come and honor him."
   
   After they had met with the King, the wise men traveled on and lo, the star that they saw in the East preceded them, until it came to rest above the place where the young child was. And on reaching the place, their joy was boundless. And when they went inside the cave, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down on their knees. And opening their treasure chests, they offered him presents — gold, frankincense and myrrh.
   
   
3. LK 2:21.38
   
   When eight days had passed, at his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was even conceived. When the days of purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to offer a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons as sacrifice.
   
   Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He was an upright and devout man, and he was avidly awaiting the coming of the Messiah because the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Christ, in the flesh. Moved by the Spirit, he went to the temple and when the child Jesus was brought in for the prescribed rituals, he took him up in his arms and praised God. "Now let Your servant depart in peace, Lord, according to Your promise, for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared for all the nations, a light to reveal Your will to the Gentiles and to the glory of Your people, Israel."
   
   As Joseph and his mother wondered about the things spoken regarding him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, "Sorrow shall pierce your soul, for this child shall be rejected by many in Israel, and this, to their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy of many others. And the deepest thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed."
   
   There was also a very old prophetess, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now eighty-four years old. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. She, too, came up that same instant and gave similar thanks to the Lord and talked about Jesus to all those looking for the redemption in Jerusalem.
   
   
4. JN 8:23
   
   "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."
   
   
5. JN 1:19.36
   
   And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to question him. "Who are you?" they asked.
   
   He frankly confessed, "I am not the Christ."
   
   They asked him, "Then who are you, Elijah?"
   
   He said, "No, I am not."
   
   "Are you the prophet?"
   
   He answered, "No."
   
   Then they said to him, "Who are you, so that we may tell those who sent us? What have you to say regarding yourself?"
   
   He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare for the coming of the Lord,’ according to the words of Isaiah, the prophet."
   
   The Pharisees asked him, "Then why do you baptize if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?"
   
   John answered them, "I baptize with water, but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who will come after me and whose sandal-strings I am not fit to untie." All these occurred at Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing.
   
   The next day, he saw Jesus approaching him and said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! He is the one I referred to when I said; After me will come a man who is far greater than me, for he existed long before me. I didn’t know he was the one, but I am here baptizing with water in order to point him out to the nation of Israel." John continued, "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and alight on him. Although I did not know him, the one who sent me to baptize with water also told me, ‘On whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I did see it and I testify that he is the Son of God."
   
   Again the following day, John was standing with two of his disciples when he looked at Jesus as he was walking along, and he said, "Behold the Lamb of God."
   
   
6. LK 4:16.21
   
   He came to Nazareth where he grew up and as usual, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read. The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him and on opening the scroll, he found the place where it was written and which he read, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to deliver the captives and restore sight to the blind, to set free the downtrodden and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down.
   
   The eyes of everyone were fixed on him. And then he said to them, "Today, this Scripture is fulfilled!"
   
   
7. MT 12:17.21
   
   So was it fulfilled according to the words of Isaiah: "Behold My servant whom I have chosen, My beloved, in whom My soul delights; I will invest him with My spirit and he will judge the nations. He will not quarrel or shout, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed; he will not extinguish a smoldering wick until he carries justice to victory. And in his name shall the nations trust."
   
   
8. JN 12:37.41
   
   But despite all the miracles he had done, most of the people would not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah had predicted: "Lord, who will believe us? Who will accept God’s mighty miracles as proof?" But they couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so that they may neither see nor understand and repent, nor turn to me to heal them." Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction for he had seen a vision of his glory.
   
   
9. LK 11:30.32
   
   "For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Man from Heaven be to this generation. And at the Judgment Day, the Queen of Sheba shall arise and point her finger at this generation condemning it; for she went on a long, hard journey just to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, someone who is greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh, too, shall arise and condemn this nation, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah and someone who is far greater than Jonah is here."
   
   
10. MT 16:13.17
    
    When Jesus entered the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?"
    
    They said, "Some say, John the Baptist; others, Elijah; others, Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."
    
    He asked them, "How about you, who do you say I am?"
    
    Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!"
    
    Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of John, because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven."
    
    
11. JN 10:01.16
    
    "Whoever does not enter the sheepfold through the gate but sneaks up over a wall must surely be a thief. For a shepherd comes through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, the sheep hear his voice and come to him and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. He walks ahead of them and the sheep follow because they recognize his voice. However, they will not follow a stranger and, instead, will run away from him." Jesus told them this parable but they could not understand him.
    
    So he continued, "I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever comes in through me will be saved; he will move about freely and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, to slaughter and destroy. But I have come so they may have life and have it abundantly.
    
    "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man who is not the shepherd or the owner of the sheep deserts the sheep and runs away when he sees the wolf coming. The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and does not really care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd and I know my own, and they, in turn, know me; just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep. I have other sheep also that are not in this fold; I must lead them as well and they will listen to my call so that there shall be one flock and one shepherd."
    
    
12. JN 8:12
    
    "I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life."
    
    
13. JN 1:06.09
    
    There was a man named John who was sent from God. He came to attest to the fact that Jesus Christ is the Light. John himself was not the Light but was sent to testify regarding the Light. Christ is that true Light that illumines every person who comes into this world.
    
    
14. LK 2:41.49
    
    Every year, his parents would go to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve, they went up to Jerusalem, as had been their custom. When the festival was over, the people started to go home but the boy Jesus remained behind without his parents being aware of it. Thinking that he was with friends among the other travelers, they were able to travel one whole day without really missing him. But when he failed to turn up that evening, they started to look for him. And when they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.
    
    On the third day, they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. When his parents saw him, they were amazed at his unconcern and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."
    
    He said to them, "But why did you need to search for me? Didn’t you realize I would be attending to my Father’s work?"
    
    
15. JN 9:39
    
    "I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are really blind."
    
    
16. MK 2:15.17
    
    That night, Levi invited his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners to be his guests so that they could meet Jesus and his disciples. But when some of the Jewish religious leaders saw Jesus eating with this unholy lot, they said to his disciples, "How can he stand to eat with such filth?"
    
    When Jesus heard what they were saying, he told them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but the sick do; I came not for the righteous, but to call on sinners to repent."
    
    
17. LK 9:51.56
    
    As the time for his return to heaven drew near, he proceeded towards Jerusalem with determination. He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his coming. But the village people refused to receive them. The disciples, James and John, upon learning of this said, "Lord, would you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?"
    
    But he turned and rebuked them and said, "You don’t realize your true divine nature and purpose! For the Man from heaven did not come to destroy human lives but to save them."
    
    
18. JN 15:14.15
    
    "You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have acquainted you with everything I heard from my Father."
    
    
19. JN 17:01.02
    
    After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the time has come. Reveal the glory of Your son so that he may give You the greater glory. For You have given him authority over every man and woman in all the earth. He grants eternal life to all those You have given him"
    
    
20. JN 17:22.26
    
    "I have given them the glory which You have given me so that they may be one, even as We are One. I in them and You in me, all being perfected into One, so that the world may know that You have sent me and have loved them as You have loved me. Father, I would want all of them to be with me where I am so that they may behold the glory which You have given me because You loved me even before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world doesn’t know You, but I do; and these disciples know that You have sent me. And I have made Your name known to them and I will continue to reveal more and more so that the mighty love You have for me may be in them and I in them as well."
    
    
21. JN 6:66.69
    
    Many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the twelve and asked them, "Will you also go away?"
    
    Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life and we believe and are certain that you are the Holy One of God."
    
    
22. JN 14:04.06
    
    "You know the way to where I am going."
    
    Thomas remarked, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?"
    
    Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me."
    
    
23. JN 4:48
    
    "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe."
    
    
24. JN 2:01.11
    
    On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee at which Jesus’ mother was a guest and Jesus, with his disciples, was also invited. When they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus asked him if he could help solve the problem.
    
    "I can’t help you now," he said, "the time has not come for me to do miracles."
    
    Nevertheless, his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
    
    There were six stone water jars which were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and which could hold from twenty to thirty gallons each. Jesus told the servants to fill them to the brim with water. After this was done, he said, "Draw some out and take it to the man in charge of the feast."
    
    After the man had tasted the water-turned-wine, not knowing where it came from, he called the bridegroom and told him, "Everyone serves the better quality wine first and the cheap wine for later when the men are already too drunk to notice or care. But you have kept the best for last."
    
    This miracle was Jesus’ first public demonstration of his divine powers. And his disciples believed in him even more.
    
    
25. MK 8:01.09
    
    In those days, another large crowd had gathered. And after some time, there was nothing left to eat. So, summoning his disciples, he told them, "I feel very sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days now and have nothing left to eat. If I should send them home hungry, they would faint on the way and some of them come from far away."
    
    His disciples answered, "But where in this wilderness can we get enough bread to feed so many?"
    
    He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?"
    
    They said, "Seven."
    
    So he instructed the people to sit down on the ground and took the seven loaves of bread. He gave thanks, broke them and gave them to his disciples who then set them before the crowd. They also had a few small fish. And after he had thanked God for them, he told his disciples to distribute them also to the people. So they ate and were filled, and they picked up the leftovers, seven baskets full. About four thousand had eaten and then he sent them away.
    
    
26. JN 6:05.14
    
    Looking up and noticing that so many people were coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food to feed all these people?" But he said this only to test him, because he already knew what he was going to do.
    
    Philip replied, "Two hundred pennies worth of bread will not be enough to even half-satisfy all of them."
    
    One of the other disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter told him, "There is a lad here with four loaves of barley and two small fish, but how can they suffice?"
    
    Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." And all the men, about five thousand of them, sat down on the grass. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and had them served to those who were seated and he did the same with the fish. And everyone ate as much as he required. When they had finished eating, he told his disciples, "Gather up all the leftovers so that nothing is wasted." What remained of the five loaves of barley was enough to fill twelve baskets.
    
    When the people realized that he performed a miracle, they said, "This surely is the prophet who is to come into the world."
    
    
27. LK 8:22.25
    
    One day, he and his disciples got into a boat and he said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." So, they set sail.
    
    But on route, he fell asleep. And a squall of wind came down on the lake and, presently, the boat was filling with water and they were in danger of sinking. So they came and awakened him, exclaiming, "Master, Master, we are going to die!"
    
    And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the surging of the water and they ceased and all became calm. Then he said to them, "Where is your faith?"
    
    But awed and amazed, they said to one another, "What kind of man is he who commands even the wind and water and they obey him?"
    
    
28. MT 14:22.33
    
    He immediately urged the disciples to embark and to sail ahead of him to the other side while he dismissed the crowds. Afterwards, he climbed the hill to pray. Evening had fallen and he was there alone. But the boat was, by that time, already a good distance from the shore and was being tossed by the waves because of the strong wind.
    
    At about four in the morning, he approached them walking on the water. Thinking him a ghost, they cried out in terror. But he at once addressed them and reassured them, "It is all right! Don’t be afraid!"
    
    Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come over to you by walking also on the water!"
    
    He said, "Come."
    
    Peter got out from the boat and he walked on the water towards Jesus. But when he looked around at the huge waves, he became terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
    
    Instantly, Jesus reached out his hand and rescued him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you have to doubt?"
    
    And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the others knelt before him and said, "You really are the Son of God!"
    
    
29. MK 8:22.25
    
    Upon reaching Bethsaida, the people there brought a blind man to him and implored him to touch him. So, taking hold of the blind man’s hand, he led him out of the village. Then after putting saliva on his eyes, he put his hands on him and asked him, "Do you see anything?"
    
    He looked up and said, "I see people, but they look like trees walking."
    
    Then again, Jesus placed his hands on his eyes; and then he looked more steadily, his sight having been fully restored, and he saw everything distinctly.
    
    
30. MK 10:46.52
    
    As they were leaving the town of Jericho, a great throng was following after them. Now, it happened that a blind beggar named Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road as Jesus was passing by. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus from Nazareth was near, he began to shout out, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!"
    
    "Shut up!" some of the people yelled at him.
    
    But he shouted the louder again and again, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
    
    When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, "Call him."
    
    So they called the blind man, "Come on. Get up. He is calling you." Bartimaeus tore off his old coat, flung it aside, jumped up and went to Jesus.
    
    "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.
    
    The blind man replied, "Teacher, I would like to see."
    
    And Jesus said to him, "All right, it is done. Your faith has healed you." And instantly, the blind man could see and followed Jesus down the road.
    
    
31. MK 7:32.35
    
    A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him and everyone begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man and heal him. Jesus led him away from the crowd and put his fingers into the man’s ears, then he spat and touched the man’s tongue with the saliva. Then, looking up to heaven, he commanded, "Be open!" Instantly, the man could hear perfectly and speak clearly.
    
    
32. JN 5:01.09
    
    Later on, there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem, by the sheep market, there is a bathing pool. Here, crowds of invalids lay waiting for the stirring of the water. For at intervals, an angel descended into the pool and stirred the water. Whoever got in first after the agitation of the pool became healed whatever his ailment. One man there had been suffering from an infirmity for thirty-eight years. When Jesus noticed him lying there, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"
    
    The invalid replied, "Yes, but I have no one to put me into the pool right after it has been disturbed; each time I make my move, another always gets in ahead of me."
    
    Jesus told him, "Get up, pick up your mat and walk." Instantly, the man was well. And he was able to pick up his mat and start walking.
    
    
33. MT 8:14.15
    
    When Jesus entered Peter’s house, he observed that his mother-in-law was bedridden with fever. So he touched her hand and the fever left her. She got up and waited on him.
    
    
34. LK 5:18.25
    
    Then some men came carrying a paralytic on a couch and tried to bring him in and lay him before Jesus. But as they found no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles, couch and all, right in front of Jesus.
    
    Seeing their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you!"
    
    The religious authorities and the Pharisees began to reason, "Who is this, speaking blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?"
    
    Jesus, aware of their thoughts, said to them, "Why is it blasphemy? Is it harder to forgive his sins than to heal him? However, so that you may know that I have authority on earth to forgive sins," he said to the paralytic, "I tell you, rise, pick up your couch and go home."
    
    At once, he got up in their presence, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
    
    
35. LK 6:06.10
    
    On another Sabbath, as he went into the synagogue and taught, a man whose right hand was withered was also there; and the religious authorities and the Pharisees were watching him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might find something to accuse him of. But he knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise up and stand here in the center." And he got up and stood there.
    
    Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it allowed to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath; to save a life or to destroy it?" Then, looking around at all of them, he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." And as he did so, his hand was fully restored.
    
    
36. MK 7:25.30
    
    A woman whose little daughter was possessed by a demon came as soon as she heard of Jesus and threw herself at his feet. She was a gentile and she begged him to expel the demon from her daughter.
    
    He said to her, "First, let the children of my own family, the Jews, be satisfied; for it is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs."
    
    But she answered him, "Yes, Lord, yet the dogs under the table are given some scraps from the children’s plates."
    
    "Good!" he said, "You have answered well, so well that I have healed your little girl. Go home. The demon has left her." And when she arrived home, her little girl was lying quietly in bed and the demon was gone.
    
    
37. LK 4:33.36
    
    Once, as he was teaching in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon began shouting at Jesus. "Go away. We don’t want you here. Have you come here to destroy us? I know you. You are the Holy One of God!"
    
    Jesus cut him short. "Be silent!" he told the demon, "Come out!"
    
    The demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched and then left him without hurting him further. Amazed at what had happened, the people asked, "What kind of doctrine is this that he teaches? And how is it that even demons obey him?"
    
    
38. MT 8:28.32
    
    When they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the country of the Gadarenes, two men possessed with demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so ferocious that no one could go through that area. They began screaming at him, "Jesus, Son of God, you have no right to come and bother us before our time."
    
    A herd of swine was feeding in the distance; so the demons begged, "If you would cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."
    
    "All right," Jesus told them, "go."
    
    And they came out of the men and entered the swine and the whole herd rushed down the precipice into the sea and perished in the water below.
    
    
39. LK 7:01.10
    
    When he had finished teaching, he went back into the City of Capernaum. At that time, an army officer had a servant who was dear to him and who was sick and near death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his servant. They came to Jesus and begged him earnestly to come with them and help the man. "If anyone deserves your help, it is he," they said, "for he loves our people so much; he even had a synagogue built for us."
    
    Jesus went with them. But just before he arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, "Sir, don’t inconvenience yourself by coming to my home. I do not deserve such an honor; neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you in person. Only give the order and my servant will get well. I know, because I, too, am under the authority of my superiors and I have authority over my men. I only need to say, ‘Go!’ and they go; or ‘Come!’ and they come; and to my servant, ‘Do this or that,’ and he does it."
    
    Jesus was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, "Never among all the Jews in Israel have I met a man with faith like this." And when the friends of the officer returned to his house, they found the servant completely healed.
    
    
40. JN 4:46.53
    
    There was a government official whose son was sick in Capernaum. When he learned that Jesus had come from Judea and was traveling to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to go to Capernaum and heal his son who was near death.
    
    Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe."
    
    "Sir," begged the official, "Please come with me before my child dies."
    
    Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live!"
    
    The man believed Jesus and started to go home. On the way, his servants met him with the news that his son had recovered. He asked them when the boy began to feel better and they answered, "It was one o’clock yesterday afternoon when his fever suddenly disappeared."
    
    Then, the father remembered that it was at that same hour when Jesus had told him, "Your son will live." And the man and his entire household believed.
    
    
41. MK 5:22.42
    
    Jairus, an official of the local synagogue, arrived and when he saw Jesus, he threw himself at his feet and begged him earnestly, "My little daughter is very sick. Please come and lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live." So Jesus started off with him. So many people were going along with Jesus such that they were crowding him from every side.
    
    There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years even though many doctors had treated her. She had spent all her money; but instead of getting better, she was getting worse and worse. Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him saying to herself, "If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well." She touched his cloak and her bleeding stopped at once and she knew that she was healed.
    
    Jesus realized instantly that healing energy had issued from him; so he turned to the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
    
    His disciples answered, "There are so many crowding us; why do you ask?" But Jesus kept on looking around to see who it was.
    
    The woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, knelt at his feet and told him the whole truth.
    
    Jesus said to her, "My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your disease."
    
    While he was still talking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus and told him, "Your daughter has died. There is no further need for Jesus to come now."
    
    But Jesus ignored them and said to Jairus, "Don’t be afraid. Just trust me." Then Jesus stopped the crowd and would not allow anyone to go on with him to Jairus’ home except Peter, James and John.
    
    When they arrived, everything was in turmoil with unrestrained weeping and wailing. He went in and said to them. "Why all this commotion? Why are you crying? The child is not dead; she is only asleep!" They laughed at him bitterly; but he told them all to leave and, taking the girl’s parents and his three disciples, he went into the room where she was lying. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, "Get up, little girl!" And she got up and started walking around. Her parents were overwhelmed. But Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what happened and he said, "Give her something to eat."
    
    
42. LK 7:11.16
    
    Soon afterward, Jesus went to the village of Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a lot of others. As he approached the village gate, a funeral procession was passing by. The dead man was the only son of a woman who was a widow, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart filled with pity for her and he said to her, "Don’t cry."
    
    Then he walked closer and touched the coffin and the men carrying it stopped. Jesus said, "Son, get up!" The dead man got up and began to talk to those around him.
    
    A great fear swept the crowd and they exclaimed with praises to God, "A mighty prophet has risen among us" and "We have seen the hand of God at work, today."
    
    
43. JN 11:01.45
    
    Do you remember Mary who poured the costly perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair? Well, her brother Lazarus, who lived in Bethany with Mary and her sister Martha, was ill. So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, your dear friend is very ill."
    
    But when Jesus received the message, he said, "No, Lazarus won’t die but this has happened in order that God’s purpose may be served." Although Jesus was very fond of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for two more days despite the urgency of their call before he finally decided to go to them.
    
    "Teacher," the disciples answered, "just a short time ago, the people there wanted to kill you. How can you even think of going back?"
    
    Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight everyday and during those hours, a man can walk safely and not stumble. But if a man walks at night, he stumbles because of the darkness." Jesus said this and then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up."
    
    The disciples answered, "If he is just asleep, Lord, he can wake up without needing our help."
    
    But Jesus really meant that Lazarus had died. And he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there, for this will give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come, let’s go to him."
    
    Thomas said to his fellow-disciples, "Let’s all go with him so that we may die with him."
    
    When Jesus arrived, he found out that Lazarus had been buried for four days already. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem and many Judeans had come to see Mary and Martha to comfort them. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him; but Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now, if you will only ask God, He will grant you whatever you ask."
    
    Jesus told her, "Your brother will live again."
    
    "I know," she replied, "that he will rise to life at the last day."
    
    Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in me, even if he dies, shall go on living; and whoever lives, believing in me, shall never die. Do you believe this?"
    
    "Yes, Lord," she answered, "I do believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who is to come into the world."
    
    After Martha had said this, she went back to tell Mary that Jesus is asking for her. When Mary heard this, she got up and hurried out to meet him. Jesus, all this time, was staying outside the village. When they saw Mary get up and leave, the people in the house followed her, thinking that she was going to visit her brother’s grave. Mary arrived where Jesus was and as soon as she saw him, she fell at his feet. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
    
    Jesus saw her weeping and he saw, also, how the other people were weeping; his heart was touched and he was deeply moved. "Where have you buried him?" he asked them.
    
    "Come and see, Lord," they answered. Jesus wept. "See how much he loved him," the people said. But some of them said, "He gave sight to the blind. Why couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?"
    
    They came to the tomb that was a cave with a stone placed at the entrance. "Roll the stone aside!" Jesus ordered.
    
    Martha answered, "There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been dead for four days now."
    
    Jesus said to her, "Didn’t I tell you that you would witness the glory of God if you would only believe?" They rolled the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, "Father, thank You for listening to me. I know that You always listen to me but I say this now so that the people here may believe that You sent me." After he had said this, he called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"
    
    And Lazarus came out, his hands and feet still wrapped in burial cloths and with his face covered up. "Untie him," Jesus told them, "and let him go." Many of the people who witnessed this event believed in Jesus.
    
    
44. LK 7:19.23
    
    John sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come or should we expect someone else?"
    
    At the same time that the two found Jesus, he was conducting his healings and many were being cured of their ailments. When they asked him John’s question, he replied, "Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are healed, the deaf are able to hear, the dead are returned to life and God’s message is given to all. And tell him, Blessed is he who does not lose his faith in me."
    
    
45. JN 5:36
    
    "But I have greater proof than John’s testimony — the things that I have done, the work that the Father has commissioned me to do — they speak on my behalf and prove that the Father has sent me."
    
    
46. JN 12:12.16
    
    The next day, the large crowd that had come to the Passover festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "God bless the King of Israel who comes in the name of the Lord!" Jesus came riding on a young donkey, fulfilling the prophecy that said: "Don’t be afraid of your King, people of Israel, for he will come to you meekly, sitting on a donkey’s colt."
    
    His disciples did not realize it at the time that this event was a fulfillment of prophecy; but after Jesus had returned to his glory in heaven, they realized that many prophecies of Scripture had come true before their eyes.
    
    
47. JN 19:23.24
    
    After the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. They also took his robe, which was made of one piece of woven cloth without any seams in it. The soldiers said to one another, "Let’s not tear it; let’s throw dice to see who gets it."
    
    This fulfilled the Scripture that says, "They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my robe." So, that is what they did.
    
    
48. JN 19:31.37
    
    Then, the Jewish authorities asked Pilate to allow them to break the legs of the men who had been crucified and to take the bodies down from the crosses. They requested this because it was Friday, and they did not want the bodies to stay on the crosses on the Sabbath since the coming Sabbath was especially holy.
    
    So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and then of the other man crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead; so they did not break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, plunged his spear into Jesus’ side and at once, blood and water poured out.
    
    This was done to make the Scripture come true: "Not one of his bones will be broken." And there is another Scripture that says, "People will look at him whom they pierced."
    
    
49. JN 2:18.22
    
    "What right have you to order them out?" the Jewish leaders demanded. "If you have this authority from God, show us a sign to prove it."
    
    "All right," Jesus replied, "destroy this sanctuary; and in three days, I will raise it up."
    
    "What!" they exclaimed. "It took forty-six years to build this temple and you can do it in three days?" But by "this sanctuary," he meant his body.
    
    After he came back to life, the disciples remembered that he had said this and realized that what he had quoted from Scripture really did refer to him and had all come true.
    
    
50. MT 26:52.54
    
    "Put away your sword," Jesus told him. "All who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Don’t you realize that I only need to call on my Father for help and at once, he would send twelve legions of angels? But if I did, how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled?"
    
    
51. LK 22:41.44
    
    He walked away, perhaps a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, "Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. However, not my will, but Your will be done." Then an angel from heaven appeared to comfort and strengthen him, for he was in such agony of spirit that he broke into a sweat of blood, with great drops falling to the ground as he prayed more and more earnestly.
    
    
52. JN 20:29
    
    Jesus said to Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. But blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe, just the same."