Latest Posts

Can you recommend anything about being men of integrity? The men’s movement — Promise Keepers, for instance — has gained a lot of momentum. Where can I go to get… Read More

What Bible are you reading these days, Doug? Last year you were going through the Holman Christian Standard Bible. I bought that and am really enjoying it. I still like… Read More

Hebrews 1 and Psalms 2, taken together with several passages including Genesis 1, John 1, 1 John 1, Revelation 19 (Jesus the "Word of God") and Philippians 2 lead me… Read More

Do you have any advice about how to pray? I am stuck in a rut. Great question–and by no means unique! This is an especially important question, since we all… Read More

I would like your thoughts about the seriously debunked “Lucian Recension theory” on which textual critics (like Westcott and Hort) chose and still choose to justify their stance against the… Read More

I know that God is four-dimensional and we humans are three-dimensional. So as one of God’s creatures, is Satan four-dimensional or three-dimensional? It would make sense to me that he… Read More

Between the last book of the O.T. and the start of the N.T. there was no record of God speaking to his people — a period of over 400 years…. Read More

What are your thoughts on the interpretation of Matthew 16:13-20, which suggests that the "rock" Jesus was referring to when Peter confessed that Jesus as Christ was a mountain where… Read More

In Mark 7:19, the NIV reads "In saying this, Jesus declared all foods ‘clean’ ". The KJV reads "purging all meats"; the ASV, "making all meats clean"; and the NKJV,… Read More

I have heard numerous thoughts about when the book of Revelation was written. It seems the opinions range from 70-95/6 AD. What would be your take on this? — Bob… Read More

I am curious to know why Matthew 17:21 is not included in the NIV translation. It is in the KJV and some other versions but in the NIV it is… Read More

My question is regarding what Jesus taught regarding disciples in law enforcement. I am an ER nurse, and I have always strongly supported and respected the nobility and sacrifice of… Read More

Has there been any biblical or historical research done on Mary Magdalene that you would recommend reading? Do you know of any "legend has it" or "theories" (ones that make… Read More

What do you thing about Didache? I had read this text, but I see something wrong about baptism. It sounds rather Catholic. — Jorge (Cuba) I believe you will find… Read More

Hi…my husband and I are expecting our first child in about a week and I was wondering if there is any precedent in the Bible for offerings for the birth… Read More

I’m just writing to ask what your opinion is on the appointment of elders. Do you think elders need to be appointed, or are there situations where they may take… Read More

For the O.T. Lesson 3, Noah (32 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

Q&A 0817 – Where Was God During the Tsunami?Guest article by John Clayton (Does God Exist? Vol. 32, No. 3, May/June 2005), adapted and used with permission. Every time there… Read More

I heard about the controversy over the “gender-neutral” language in the TNIV New Testament after it was published in 2002. After becoming aware of some of the problem passages in… Read More

The foundation for the premillennial doctrine is the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The land was promised to Abraham and his descendants. Acts 7:5 says, "He (God) gave him… Read More

I am looking for some inspiring reading in the area of church history. Do you have any ideas? I am not just looking for a history book, but for something… Read More

I have been studying out the name of Jesus and I have some questions. I know that Joseph and Mary were told by God to name our Savior Jesus, but… Read More

In searching for information about the belief that Mary was lifted into heaven, I found the following: "The belief in the corporeal assumption of is founded on the apocryphal treatise… Read More

As for the phrase "life and doctrine" in 1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV), we traditionally interpret the first word to refer to how a person conducts his life, and the second… Read More

I bought a Greek Bible and I’ve been learning Greek, sort of. It’s really cool, but I have some questions about the translation. (a) Logos: Why do you think the… Read More

I noticed while reading Amos that the prophet lists the sins of Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Judah, and Israel. Here is my question: Why does God use masculine/feminine pronouns… Read More

In Galatians 5:12, Paul says. "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!" I looked at the Greek word for emasculate and it… Read More

I am studying what the Bible says about money and stewardship. Any new books out there you would recommend (that you haven’t already suggested)? Recently I completed Gene Getz’s 2004… Read More

Hebrews 6:4 says falling away is permanent. I know a disciple who decided, after studying the Old Testament, that Jesus is not the Messiah, and is in the process of… Read More

What are the types of English translations (literal, interpreting, literal + interpreting); Holman (HCSB), King James (KJV), Contemporary English (CEV), Good News (TEB), The Message, etc? We consider The Message… Read More

Why are the mothers of kings mentioned only in the period of the kings? Is it because of their educational impact? — Cristian & Erika Paduraru (Bucharest) I think the… Read More

I read recently that the Akkadian king, Sargon I, or Sargon the Great, wrote that he had been rescued as a baby from a basket found among the reeds in… Read More

Is “Ezekiel Bread” the kind of bread we should be eating? For several years I have seen it in the bread section of our local supermarket. What’s your view? I… Read More

On the subject of deaconesses you wrote: “The office of deaconess had not developed until the 3rd century. What does the Bible teach? What was the practice of the first… Read More

I have a question that has seemingly come out of nowhere for me, and I’m finding it very difficult to deal with. While I certainly don’t endorse the overall quality… Read More

In reading Hosea, I found that in several places Ephraim is singled out. I understand that Hosea was prophesying to Israel in general, but what is the reason for the… Read More

I got asked a bit of a stumper the other day. Paul received the indwelling of the Spirit at baptism, but he was laid hands on by Ananias, who was… Read More

I don’t understand why Philip couldn’t give the miraculous gifts to the Samaritans in Acts 8. Why didn’t he lay his hands on the newly baptized Samaritans so that the… Read More

In my religious ethics class, I learned that some scholars and religious environmental activists argue that a better understanding of Genesis 1:26 (where God gave man rule over the earth)… Read More

If you discovered a truth that was truer than the Bible, would you go for it? In other words, if you were to discover there to be a higher truth… Read More

As a Christian man, I have been wrestling with a question for some fourteen years. How can we tell when a woman might be violating 1 Timothy 2 — that… Read More

I have been asked to forward to you the following questions from a dating couple regarding an egg donation from the sister to her biological sister who is not a… Read More

How should I treat a sister who has sexual contact with a man without being married to him? As far as I know, he does not believe in God, but… Read More

I’ve been studying out the Old Testament prophets recently; Daniel was extremely faith-building as I researched the historical accuracy and the arguments behind dating its writing. I’m working on Isaiah… Read More

I have the opportunity to either take an Attic Greek or a Latin class at the University of Florida. I am interested in learning Greek and Hebrew (for the obvious… Read More

I have recently read your paper “Television and the Media,” and I have also read the book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald Sider. It seems that… Read More

In John 14:12-14, Jesus says that he will do whatever we ask and that we may ask him for anything. Also, Stephen, when dying, says "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."… Read More

For the O.T. Lesson 2, Cain & Abel (25 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or… Read More

I read all your articles on baptism at the website, but ran into an anti-immersionist article on my own at another. They argued that baptein is the word for immerse/dip,… Read More

I am a graduate student at Harding University and serve as an evangelist in Chicago. I am trying to find material on the topic of Hebrews 6:4-6. My goal is… Read More

Do you have to confess every sin before God will accept you as a Christian? Although I would not try to talk a person out of doing so, we must… Read More

Is Psalm 118:8 truly the center of the Bible? One website claims it is, while another kind of proves it isn’t, and it just confused me. I’m still not sure who… Read More

I noticed that in 1 Corinthians 14 they had several "prophets" speaking during a worship service, whereas today we usually have only one speaker. Back then it seems to have… Read More

My father has studied the Bible and is very knowledgeable. He is telling my mother that she should anoint the house with oil, because the Bible tells us to do… Read More

At your website, in reference to Q&A 0762, you referred to Exodus 21:22. In my NIV, it reads "gives birth prematurely," which does not indicate miscarriage to me, because many… Read More

I wanted to see if A.I.M. is an accredited school, and whether I might be able to take a few classes. I need nine electives to fulfill my degree requirement… Read More

I was recently informed that when King James Bible was produced, William Shakespeare was on the translation committee. Here was his proof: In the King James version, in Psalms 46,… Read More

I was brought up in a tradition that claims the King James Version is not only the best Bible, but also the only accurate English version there is. What do… Read More

I had a conversation with a woman who has been studying theology and the woman’s role. She said two things that made me wonder. First, she pointed out 1 Corinthians… Read More

Why in Revelation 22:15, after the passage about the New Jerusalem, do we read "Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters,… Read More

I was encouraged after taking a quick look through the TNIV that there appeared to be good translations of Philemon 6 and Matthew 11:12. Do you have any thoughts or… Read More

I just finished reading and studying Revelation, and here is my question: If Herod Agrippa I sent John to the Island of Patmos, when did he do it? My Bible… Read More

Thank you so much for your website! I have been skimming through the hundreds of questions as to not repeat mine. I did not find my question; however this doesn’t… Read More

I have a question concerning 1 Peter 3:21. The NIV reads "the pledge of a good conscience," whereas the NASB translates "an appeal to God for a good conscience," and… Read More

I was wondering if you had any recommendations on primary source literature relating to early church history. I have read bits and pieces of Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History, and that seems… Read More

My question is about the scripture that teaches that a believing spouse sanctifies her non-believing husband. I don’t understand this scripture. — César Herrera Mi pregunta es acerca de la… Read More

Someone wrote, "Many now expect the return of the awaited world teacher, Maitreya, whether they call him the Christ, Messiah, the fifth Buddha, Krishna, or the Imam Mahdi. Millions now… Read More

I think that when I was baptized, I was only 99% immersed, and there was a small portion of me that didn’t go under the water. This was unintentional. Is… Read More

I would like to know your thoughts on dedicating infants to God during a church service. My husband is concerned that it is somehow unbiblical. His thoughts are more that… Read More

Is the gulf between humans and animals really that significant? I have heard that genetically we are nearly identical to chimpanzees.Good question. I would like to respond with a piece… Read More

Why is there so much odd information on Mary Magdalene? How can we be sure that none of it is actually true? How do we know if something is inspired?… Read More

My Bible group asked me a question I was unable to answer, and so I seek your advice. Did Jesus receive the Holy Spirit at birth? I know John the… Read More

This question is for Douglas Jacoby and John Oakes. I was conversing with a friend the other day about the Bible. He said he prefers to read the New Testament… Read More

I was having a conversation with a friend debating whether the morning after pill is considered to be abortion or not. I’m interested to see if there is anything in… Read More

I have a thought on that prickly topic of authority that so many are wrestling with. Sometimes I think we are looking at the issues backwards. We are assuming one… Read More

Are you obligated to confess every single sin you’ve committed in your past to your fiancé before getting married? If the sin has nothing to with your relationship, do you… Read More

I want to learn more about numbers in the Bible, how they were used, when they are literal and when they are figurative, but I am having a hard time… Read More

I read a book called With God in Solitary Confinement, by Richard Wurmbrand. There is a part about his thoughts on the female principle in the Deity. He uses Genesis… Read More

I am a battered, wounded sheep who has forgiven all the hurts and sins committed against me and has sought forgiveness from those that I’ve hurt, yet I’m not moving… Read More

For the O.T. Series Intro (3 minutes) and Lesson 1, Adam & Eve (23 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and… Read More

How do reconcile Exodus 20:5 and Ezekiel 18:20? — Evgeny Tkachenko (Yekaterinburg, Russia) I believe Exodus discusses the consequences of sin, which often last for as long as three or… Read More

What do you think about Acts 9:25? Is it appropriate to use the phrase “my disciples”? And what, if anything, can we conclude about a system of discipleship? Do you… Read More

I have a question in regard to John 13:27 and Luke 22:3. They both say that Satan entered Judas just before the betrayal. What does this mean for Judas as… Read More

The disciples here have received a teaching, based on Hebrews 6:4-6, that people who have fallen away can never come back. We understand that there are different types of falling… Read More

[Question submitted to DJ and Gordon Ferguson] A couple of members of our church have a question regarding anointing a sister who has been ill for some time. What does… Read More

Romans 2:12-16 makes it sounds like salvation is all about the heart and the motives behind our actions, more than the actions themselves. Does this scripture teach that some people… Read More

In 1 Corinthians 7:17, 20-24 we read, "Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This… Read More

I’m confused about the conversion of the jailer (and his household) in Acts 16. The man asked them what he must do to be saved, to which he was told… Read More

Is it really effective to pray for God to change people’s hearts? If God gives the individual the choice of whether to be slaves to the spirit or slaves to… Read More

I’ve read all of your answers concerning Islam, which have given me more insight and helped me to answer my sister-in-law a little better. Her questions to me are: “How… Read More

I have a question about John 12:39-40. How would you interpret John’s citation of Isaiah, “Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, ‘He has blinded their eyes and… Read More

The Bible is clear that lust is a sin. I would like to know where the line is between temptation and sin: Jesus said even if you look at a… Read More

In 2 Kings 3:18, Elisha prophesied that God would hand Moab over to the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom. At the end of the chapter, however, it is made… Read More

Douglas Jacoby, 1 February 2009 (45 mins) Click on the play button below: Tragedy in 2008: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save… Read More

Have you ever read some of David Berçot’s works (for example, Common Sense and Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?)? His thesis, esp. in Common Sense, is that the… Read More

I have a friend who has been a disciple for many years, and who has several Christian relatives as well. He has always considered himself to be on the philosophical… Read More

Could you advise how we can go about studying the topic of exclusion of members from the assembly? (I.e., what types of sins/behavior qualify, at what stages one gives a… Read More

I have read your article on the Trinity, but still have a question. Nowhere in scripture does it say that Jesus is God. It only says he is the Son… Read More

I was reading about Moses and the Tabernacle and all that jazz. I guess through all these years of church, I became familiar with the notion of animal sacrifices, and… Read More

My friend has vivid dreams, almost every night. She is a mature woman, yet young in faith. She gives her dreams a lot of weight in her decision-making and understanding…. Read More

At the time of this email the death toll from the [2004] earthquake and resulting tsunami in the Indian Ocean is already 155,000, and experts believe this number will rise…. Read More

It would seem that the greatest challenge my church faced early on was a willingness to be persecuted. Of course, I realize we brought some of it upon ourselves. Now,… Read More

Why was Paul eager to visit Spain (Romans 15:24)? Recall that he viewed himself as the “apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). Paul often quotes the prophet Isaiah in relation… Read More

What I see in scripture is that fasting is an abstinence from both food and water. Further, the purpose of fasting is to weaken the flesh and create a humility… Read More

1Timothy discusses qualifications for elders. But given the fact that there were elders there when Paul visited in Acts 20, isn’t it possible that there was a problem with the… Read More

In chapter two of Luke, Luke names Quirinius as governor of Syria. It appears that the present state of knowledge about that man tells us that he didn’t assume the… Read More

At what point did Jesus become God’s son? I believe he has always eternally existed with God, but when did he inherit the title "son"? Since scriptures say that God… Read More

‘Yo soy discipulo de la iglesia en Bogotá (Colombia) hace más de 10 años. El mes pasado un hermano se ahorcó en su casa, la iglesia hizo una reunión …… Read More

I was recently asked by a brother to become the "godfather" for his son. I was very honored, as he explained the heart of the request was to look after… Read More

I have tried to study about the Holy Spirit, its works and gifts, and all the myriad themes entailed in this insurmountable topic. We learn in 1 Corinthians 13 that… Read More

Here is the complete list of O.T. character podcasts. Nos. 1, 16, 18, 35, 52, and five of the Psalms podcasts are free to everyone. The other 61 podcasts are for… Read More

In Acts 8, why wasn’t the indwelling Spirit given to the Samaritans at their baptism? Why did the apostles have to lay hands on them for them to receive the… Read More

You mentioned in your series How the Bible Came To Be that apostolicity is the key to inclusion of a text in the NT canon. How do I know any writing is apostolic,… Read More

We know that John the Baptist immersed people. In John 4:1, we see that Jesus’ disciples were also immersing. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. What was the purpose… Read More

How does one become married according to scripture? Actually, the Bible does not specify any one way to become married. This will depend on the laws of the nation in… Read More

What is your opinion of the NIV Translation Committee? It is my understanding that there were as many as three homosexuals assisting them in some capacity. When I compare the… Read More

I wanted your recommendation on a title(s)/author(s) for an English-NT Greek Lexicon; and the more "user friendly," the better for me. What would you recommend? At the moment, I do… Read More

Em João 17 Jesus ora para que sejamos completamente unidos. Em nossa congregação aqui em Recife tem alguns líderes que tem tido um contato muito grande com a Igreja de… Read More

Matt 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: 2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and… Read More

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who… Read More

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!  3 For this is… Read More

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward he… Read More

1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them saying: 3… Read More

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you… Read More

1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven…. Read More

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in… Read More

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it… Read More

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the… Read More

1 When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can… Read More

1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their… Read More

18 While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she… Read More

1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of… Read More

24 “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like… Read More

1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that he departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. 2 And when John… Read More

20 Then he began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to… Read More

1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when… Read More

22 Then one was brought to him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And… Read More

1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to him, so that he got into… Read More

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and… Read More

1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash… Read More

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have… Read More

1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him asked that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is… Read More

1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and he was transfigured before them. His… Read More

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus called a little child to him, set him… Read More

1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that he departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 And great… Read More

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with… Read More

1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite… Read More

23 Now when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you… Read More

1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,… Read More

1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe,… Read More

1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do… Read More

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise,… Read More

1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days is the Passover, and… Read More

31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the… Read More

1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And when they had bound him, they led… Read More

32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear his cross. 33 And when they had come to a… Read More

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there… Read More

1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 It is written in the prophet Isaiah: Look, I am going to send my messenger in… Read More

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw… Read More

21 They went as far as Capernaum, and at once on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 And his teaching made a deep impression… Read More

1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. 2 Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,… Read More

1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so… Read More

1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on… Read More

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs… Read More

1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him… Read More

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not… Read More

1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2 saw some of his disciples eating food with hands… Read More

1 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they… Read More

1 And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”… Read More

1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he… Read More

32 They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve… Read More

1 And as they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 2 and said to them, “Go into the village… Read More

1 And he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, and put a wall around it, and dug a vat under the wine press, and… Read More

1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?”… Read More

21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false Christs and false prophets… Read More

1 Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly… Read More

32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and… Read More

1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away… Read More

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on… Read More

Please read Luke 2:42-52. Jesus had the holiday spirit. This was a busy time. Yet his family literally forgot the Lord —  they were not on the same spiritual wavelength…. Read More

This popular Jewish celebration falls close to the Christmas of the traditional church observance. It dates to the days of the Maccabean revolt (2nd century BC). For the origins of… Read More

If you have followed all the studies this year, you have completed an intensive study of the entire New Testament. Well done! For the next few days seasonal information and… Read More

I noticed your reply to the inquiry about the ISV [Q 0695] and I wondered if you have noticed that free HCSB software is now available at e-sword.net. They also… Read More

We recently used IVF to conceive another child. However, instead of the normal number of good fertilized eggs (four), which would normally produce one or two babies, we ended up… Read More

Can you think of an instance where an evangelist, elder, deacon, etc. might have his authority removed? A situation has happened in our local congregation that has sparked many questions… Read More

What do you think about David Berçot and his writings, especially Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up? — Alvin Gumiran (Manila) I enjoy David Berçot’s writings enormously. They make… Read More

Is it wrong if I move in with my boyfriend? If we love each other, isn’t that what counts? Is the Bible against this? Living (and, presumably, sleeping) with your… Read More

I have recently read the following books: How We Got the Bible, by Neil R. Lightfoot; The Origin of the Bible, by Philip Wesley Comfort; and From God to Us,… Read More

How do viruses fit into God’s plan, and where do you believe they come from? Also, do you believe they are living? — B.M. Virology is simply not addressed, even… Read More

Romans chapter 3 says that "there is no one righteous — not even one." If there is no one righteous, why is Jesus considered the righteous one? Does righteous mean… Read More

I recently wrote a paper on my blog entitled "What is Salvation?" Yet I felt that the baptism discussions were a little too pointed, too focused on baptism exclusively rather… Read More

I was reading in Psalms 1, and I noted verse 5: "Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous." I was… Read More

Romans 16:13 says that Rufus’ mother was like a mother to Paul. Speculating that this woman was the wife of Simon of Cyrene Mark 15:21, when did Paul develop this… Read More

I have begun reading through Leviticus to get a better understanding and appreciation of the temple/tabernacle worship. One of the striking things is the sudden death of Nadab and Abihu,… Read More

I am truly trying not to "speak where the Bible is silent," and I feel like baptizing children is one of those issues. I see that Jesus called children to… Read More

In the first five books of the OT, there are at least 21 times where people were killed directly or ordered to be killed by God. Yet God said, "Do… Read More

Acts 22:28 states that Paul was a natural born Roman citizen, while Philippians 3:4-5 states he’s a Hebrew. There are other passages in Scripture indicating his apparent dual citizenship. My… Read More

When do you think John the Baptist was taken into prison in relationship to Jesus’ ministry? It seems like one account says that after Jesus got back from the wilderness,… Read More

I appreciate your answers to the questions concerning dating and whether to marry. I recall you writing that if you have the gift of celibacy you should consider remaining single… Read More

In Acts 1:26, the apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas as the twelfth apostle. Proverbs says, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision… Read More