Acts 16:16-24 I’ve always wondered at Paul and Silas allowing themselves to be beaten, when (as we will learn tomorrow) they were Roman citizens and should have been tried before a judge and jury before being punished. I feel like I would have claimed my Roman citizenship immediately. But maybe it happened all too quickly …
Author Archives: Fred
March 26 / Acts 16:6-15
Acts 16:6-15 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (vv. 8-9) What’s strange to me in these two verses is that Paul is even at Troas. …
March 25 / Acts 15:36-16:5
Acts 15:36-16:5 Back to Acts! I’ve always been troubled by Paul and Barnabas separating over the issue of John Mark going along. But you may recall that Barnabas was John Mark’s cousin (Colossians 4:10, translated as uncle only in the KJV), so family ties would have prompted Barnabas to have Mark along. And as I …
March 24 / James 5:12-20
James 5:12-20 So today we finish James. It’s been a good ten days! Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him… (vv. 13-14) How fitting are James’ words …
March 23 / James 5:1-11
James 5:1-11 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged… (v. 9) The word “grumble” is also translated “complain” in the NASB and the NKJV. I had never noticed this before, that our grumbling/complaining against one another will be held against us, will be judged. I think James is …
March 22 / James 4:11-17
James 4:11-17 Today’s topics: Judging, boasting, “profiteering” (v. 13, “…spend a year…trade…profit…”)… Judging and boasting are fairly clear to us, I think. But this “profiteering” item made me wonder what James meant by that. I think it’s more than simply being an entrepreneur. I think it’s going off on our own, making our own plans, …
March 21 / James 4:1-10
James 4:1-10 The ESV titles today’s reading, “Warning Against Worldliness”. With that in mind, verse 5b struck me when I read it in the NKJV: The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously. This verse is translated very differently in the ESV and the NASB. Not knowing which is the more correct, I liked the …
March 20 / James 3:13-18
James 3:13-18 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. (v. 14) As I first read this verse I immediately thought of politicians (across the board, some more than others) boasting about their accomplishments and either outright lying or stretching the truth …
March 19 / James 3:1-12
James 3:1-12 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (v. 1) Often we are asked to upgrade our passwords to include an upper case letter, a lower case letter, a number, and a special character. Some time ago I found …
March 18 / James 2:14-26
James 2:14-26 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (v. 18) James is distinguishing between two kinds of faith, one without works and one with works. My Study Bible refers to the former, …