16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the *man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the *man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

20 *But understand this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own [personal or special] interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.

2 preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching.

13 Until I come, devote yourself to public reading [of Scripture], to preaching and to teaching [the sound doctrine of God’s word].

12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged *sword, penetrating as far as the division of the *soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

35 Heaven and earth [as now known] will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

4 But Jesus replied, "It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ " [Deut 8:3]

10 "For as the rain and snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth,

Making it bear and sprout,

And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [2 Cor 9:10]

11 So will My word be which goes out of My mouth;

It will not return to Me void (useless, without result),

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

17 Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.

39 *You search and keep on searching and examining the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and yet it is those [very Scriptures] that testify about Me;

25 But the word of the Lord endures forever."

And this is the word [the good news of salvation] which was preached to you. [Is 40:6-8]

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to Your precepts].

160 The sum of Your word is truth [the full meaning of all Your precepts],

And every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever.

Shin.

11 Now these people were more noble and open-minded than those in Thessalonica, so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

2 And Paul entered the synagogue, as was his *custom, and for three Sabbaths he engaged in discussion and friendly debate with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and pointing out [scriptural evidence] that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)."

30 Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading:

"Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter;

And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,

So He does not open His mouth.

35 Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation].

10 For Ezra had set his heart (resolved) to study and interpret the Law of the Lord, and to practice it and teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

25 Then Jesus said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to trust and believe in everything that the prophets have spoken!26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and [only then to] enter His glory?"27 Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the [writings of the] prophets, He explained and interpreted for them the things referring to Himself [found] in all the Scriptures.

18 Jesus came up and said to them, "All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age."

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

1 The word of the Lord that came to *Joel, the son of Pethuel.

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,

1 The *oracle (burdensome message) of the word of the Lord to Israel through [My messenger] Malachi.

8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying,

4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying,

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me

To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;

He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,

To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives

And freedom to prisoners, [Rom 10:15]

2 To proclaim *the favorable year of the Lord,

*And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God,

To comfort all who mourn, [Matt 11:2-6; Luke 4:18, 19; 7:22]

3 To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following:

To give them a *turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning],

The oil of joy instead of mourning,

The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.

So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God],

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

5 Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver];

He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him. [Ps 18:30; 84:11; 115:9-11]

6 Do not add to His words,

Or He will reprove you, and you will be found a liar.

18 I testify and warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book [its predictions, consolations, and admonitions]: if anyone adds [anything] to them, God will add to him the plagues (afflictions, calamities) which are written in this book; [Deut 4:2] 19 and if anyone takes away from or distorts the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away [from that one] his share from the tree of life and from the holy city (new Jerusalem), which are written in this book.

6 I am astonished and extremely irritated that you are so quickly shifting your allegiance and deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different [even contrary] gospel; 7 which is really not another [gospel]; but there are [obviously] *some [people masquerading as teachers] who are disturbing and confusing you [with a misleading, counterfeit teaching] and want to distort the gospel of Christ [twisting it into something which it absolutely is not]. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we [originally] preached to you, let him be condemned to destruction! 9 As we have said before, so I now say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from that which you received [from us], let him be condemned to destruction!

15 And consider the patience of our Lord [His delay in judging and avenging wrongs] as salvation [that is, allowing time for more to be saved]; just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him [by God], 16 speaking about these things as he does in all of his letters. In which there are some things that are difficult to understand, which the untaught and unstable [who have fallen into error] twist and misinterpret, just as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.

14 But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)? 15 And how will they preach unless they are commissioned and sent [for that purpose]? Just as it is written and forever remains written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!" [Is 52:7]

16 But they did not all pay attention to the good news [of salvation]; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" [Is 53:1] 17 So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, "The justandupright shall live by faith." [Hab 2:4]

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the Holy Spirit].

14 But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].

21 For since the world through all its [earthly] wisdom failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the *foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior].

22 For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. [Rom 8:28]

17 For Christ did not send me [as an apostle] to baptize, but [commissioned and empowered me] to preach the good news [of salvation]—not with clever and eloquent speech [as an orator], so that the cross of Christ would not be *made ineffective [deprived of its saving power].

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people forGod’sown possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. [Ex 19:5, 6]