16 All Scripture inspired by God is useful for teaching, for confronting what is wrong, for setting us straight, and for telling us what is right. 17 This is how God provides a thorough preparation for those who work for him to accomplish all that’s good.

15 From your childhood you’ve known the holy Scriptures which can give you understanding for salvation by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture inspired by God is useful for teaching, for confronting what is wrong, for setting us straight, and for telling us what is right. 17 This is how God provides a thorough preparation for those who work for him to accomplish all that’s good.

20 Most of all you should realize that no prophecy of scripture is a matter for interpretation based on the whims of an individual, 21 for no prophecy originated in human ideas, but prophets spoke for God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

15 Make sure you work hard so you can present yourself to God and gain his approval. Be a worker that doesn’t need to be embarrassed, using the word of truth correctly.

2 Speak God’s word whether it is convenient or not, tell people where they’re going wrong, warn them, encourage them. Do this with a great deal of patient teaching.

13 Until I get there, make sure you read the Scriptures to the church, and encourage them by your speaking and teaching.

12 For God’s word is alive and effective, sharper than any twin-edged sword, so penetrating it separates life and breath,* bone joints and their marrow, judging the thoughts and intentions of the mind.

35 Heaven and earth may pass away, but my words won’t pass away.

4 Jesus answered, "As Scripture says, ‘Human beings do not live by only eating bread, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"*

10 It’s like the rain and snow that fall from heaven. They don’t go back there until they’ve watered the earth, making plants grow and flower, providing seeds for the sower and food to eat. 11 In the same way the words I say don’t come back to me unfulfilled, they accomplish what I want—they successfully achieve my purpose.

17 Make them holy by the truth; your word is truth.

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that through them you’ll gain eternal life. But the evidence they give is in support of me!

25 But the word of the Lord remains forever."* This word is the good news that was explained to you.

9 How does a young person remain pure? By following what you say.

160 Your word can be summed up in one word: truth! All of your just laws will last forever.

11 The people there had a better attitude than those in Thessalonica in that they were very quick to accept the word, and every day they examined the Scriptures to make sure what they were told was right.

2 As usual, Paul went into the synagogue and over the course of three Sabbaths he debated with them using the Scriptures. 3 He explained what the Scriptures meant, proving that the Messiah had to die and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I’m telling you about—he is the Messiah," he told them.

30 So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah.

"Do you understand what you’re reading?" Philip asked him.

31 "How can I, unless someone explains it?" the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32 The Scripture passage he was reading was this: "He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered. Like a lamb is silent in front of his shearer, he didn’t say a word.

35 Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus.

10 For Ezra had committed himself to gaining insights from the Law of the Lord, wanting to practice it and to teach in Israel its rules and how to live.

25 Jesus told them, "You’re so dull! How slow you are to trust in all that the prophets said! 26 Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer before he could enter into his glory?" 27 Then, starting with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them everything that was said in Scripture about himself.

18 Jesus came to them and told them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 So go and make disciples of people of all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to follow all the commands I have given you. Remember, I am always with you, to the very end of the world."

7 Wherever you go, tell the people, ‘The kingdom of heaven has arrived.’

8 Then the Lord told Elijah,

1 The Lord sent a message through Joel, son of Pethuel.

19 A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah:

1 A prophecy:* This message came from the Lord concerning Israel through Malachi.

8 The Lord Almighty sent another message to me.

4 Then the Lord sent a message to Isaiah, saying,

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to announce liberation to the captives, to set the prisoners free, 2 to declare the year of the Lord’s grace and the day of our God’s punishment,* to comfort those who mourn. 3 The Lord will give to everyone who mourns in Zion a crown instead of ashes on their head, the oil of happiness instead of mourning, clothes of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of integrity, planted by the Lord to reveal his glory.

5 Every word God says has been proved true. He defends everyone who comes to him for protection.

6 Don’t add anything to his words, or he will criticize you and you’ll be shown to be a liar.

18 I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book that if anyone adds to them then God will add to them the plagues described in this book. 19 If anyone takes away the prophetic words of this book, God will take away their share of the tree of life and of the holy city that are described in this book.

6 I’m shocked at how quickly you’re abandoning the God who by the grace of Christ called you. You are turning to a different kind of good news 7 that isn’t good news at all! Some people there are confusing you, wanting to pervert the good news of Christ. 8 But if anyone, even we ourselves, or even an angel from heaven, should promote any other kind of good news* than what we have already told you, let them be condemned! 9 I repeat what we’ve told you before: if anyone promotes any other kind of good news* than what you’ve already accepted, let them be condemned!

15 Remember that it is our Lord’s patience that gives the opportunity for salvation. That’s what our dear brother Paul was explaining to you in all his letters with the wisdom given to him by God. 16 He spoke about these things, though some of what he wrote is certainly hard to understand. Some ignorant and unbalanced people have twisted what he wrote to their own loss—just as they do other scriptures.

4 These Scriptures were written down in the past to help us understand, and to encourage us so that we could wait patiently in hope.

14 But how can people call on someone they don’t trust? How can they trust someone they haven’t heard about? How can they hear unless they’re told? 15 How can they go out and tell others unless they’re sent? Just as Scripture says, "Those who come bringing the good news are truly welcome!"* 16 But not everyone has accepted the good news. As Isaiah asks: "Lord, who trusted in the news they heard from us?"* 17 Trusting in God comes from hearing—hearing the message of Christ.

16 I’m certainly not ashamed about the good news, for it’s God’s power to save everyone who trusts in him—to the Jewish people first, and then to everyone else as well. 17 For in the good news God is revealed as good and right,* trustworthy from start to finish. As Scripture says, "Those who are right with God live by trusting him."*

12 For we have received the Spirit from God, not the spirit of this world, so that we could understand what God so generously gave us. 13 That’s what we speak about—not using words taught by human wisdom, but what the Spirit teaches. We explain what is spiritual using spiritual terms. 14 Of course people who are not spiritual don’t accept what comes from God’s Spirit. It’s just foolish nonsense to them, and they can’t understand it, because what is spiritual has to be properly examined.

21 Since God in his wisdom allowed the world in its wisdom not to know God, it was God’s gracious plan that by the foolishness of the good news those who trusted in him would be saved.

22 The Jews ask for miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but our message is of Christ killed on a cross—offensive to the Jews, and foolishness to the foreigners. 24 However, for those who are called by God, both Jews and foreigners, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

17 For Christ didn’t send me out to baptize, but to spread the good news, and not with eloquent human wisdom, otherwise the cross of Christ would be made powerless.*

9 In complete contrast, you are a specially-chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Consequently you can reveal the wonderful things he’s done, calling you out of darkness into his marvelous light.