Proverbs 3:5-6 is is one of the principle/basic/first verse(s) I memorized in one of the Navigators' Bible studies. But now that I contemplate it, in a rigid, literal fashion, am I to abandon my own understanding?

I later earned a bachelor's degree. If I had to abandon my own understanding, would I have earned a single course credit? Or a single lecture? Surely God doesn't want me to abandon my own understanding?

I realize my question might sound awfully rigid/literal/childish/silly. But it is an earnest one.

Answer: use a Study Bible? The reason I grew very cautious about Study Bibles (such as the official NIV Study Bible) is that a fellow Christian (whose views I valued) told me that Study Bibles are not infallible.

Thank you for your answers.

***** Matthew 25:1-13 ****\*

This parable is one that theologians have debated for centuries. However, when we view it through the lens of human psychology, the essence of its message becomes remarkably clear.

If we express the mindset of the five foolish virgins—who failed to prepare extra oil—in a modern light, it would sound something like this:

"Ah, why bother wasting time and dealing with the hassle of stocking up on oil beforehand? Let’s just see how things play out. When the time comes, I can just borrow a little from the person next to me and slide by. Or if that doesn't work out, I’ll just quickly drive to the store and buy some."

To them, faith was not a deep and precious personal relationship with the Lord. It was merely a "convenience store product" to be bought and used whenever needed, or a "loan service" sought only after a crisis hits.

In other words, from the very beginning, they approached faith with a self-serving, opportunistic attitude lacking all sincerity. Not only did they instrumentalize faith as a tool for their own purposes, but they also tried to slyly ride on others' coattails through calculating shortcuts.

This kind of opportunistic behavior can also be seen in 1 Samuel 4 during the battle against the Philistines with Hophni and Phinehas. 

Lacking true faith in their daily lives, they proudly assumed that simply bringing the Ark of the Covenant would guarantee victory, only to suffer a catastrophic defeat.

Regrettably, we can easily find this same mindset among us today:

• "I'll just live well and enjoy life for myself, and then right before I die in old age, I'll properly believe in Jesus and go to heaven."
• "I'll enjoy all the pleasures of the world for now, and when it feels like the Second Coming is near, I can just read the room, repent, and get prayed for. Simple as that, right?"

How wonderful would it be if life always went according to our plans? But life does not move by our calculations. 

We never know when our final moment will come or when the Lord will return. If we wait to prepare "when the time comes," it will already be too late.

We must guard ourselves against such complacent and shallow opportunistic faith. The Lord will not be fooled by human tricks or clever schemes, and He will flatly reject them right at the entrance of the heavenly banquet.

Rather than obsessing over what the "oil" specifically symbolizes in this parable, what is far more important is recognizing that having an attitude of sincere faith in our daily lives and preparing in advance for the end times is the true wisdom of life. 
(Proverbs 9:10, Ecclesiastes 12:1-2)

Of course, this does not mean we should donate all our wealth or abandon our daily routines to retreat into the mountains just to pray.

It simply means that in our daily lives right now, we should:

• Always rejoice (trusting the Lord and holding onto heavenly hope even when circumstances are difficult and exhausting),
• Pray without ceasing (continually acknowledging the Lord in our daily routines and sharing our lives with Him),
• Give thanks in all circumstances (rejecting arrogance and acknowledging God’s sovereignty and provision).

This is the wisest and most beautiful way to prepare the oil in advance for the Bridegroom who is coming soon.

Well the title is pretty much self explanatory. I hope that I will get some meaningful advice. I know that I can go on YouTube and that I will probably find a video or I can just ask AI but I still want opinions from real people, multiple real people thst actually use this study Bible or something similar daily. Anyways thank you up front and stay blessed.

Here's the verse: Luke 12
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

My scriptural interpretation: I struggle most when I feel scarce, short term, and worried about what people think, all of that = anxiety. I think Jesus repeatedly teaches heavenly abundance, long term, and focus on what God thinks and not what man thinks; all of that = peace. He knows the sparrow then he surely knows me. He wants peace of heart even when our personal world's shrink. I don't have this all sorted, but this equation of abundance helps me.

I would appreciate your perspectives.

I came across a comment explaining Mark 13:30 ("this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened") that got me thinking. The comment argued that when Jesus says "this generation," he isn't talking about his 1st-century audience, but rather the future generation of people who will be alive when the end times actually start—basically saying that once those events kick off, the whole thing happens quickly within one group of people's lifespan.

I was trying to trace how that idea connects with the rest of Revelation and end-times timeline, and a few things raised questions for me:

1. How does death actually work during the Tribulation? In Revelation 9:5-6 (the 5th trumpet), it says people will seek death and won't be able to find it for 5 months because of the torment. But then right after in Revelation 9:15-18 (and earlier in Rev 6:8), massive chunks of the world's population (like 1/3 of humanity) actually die. Is the inability to die just a temporary 5-month thing during that specific judgment before normal death kicks back in?
2. What about human lifespans during the 1,000-year reign? If Jesus reigns for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-6), how does that overlap with the "generation" concept? From what I've read in places like Isaiah 65:20, it sounds like lifespans go back to Genesis-style lengths (where dying at 100 is considered dying young). Are there basically two groups of people during the Millennium—immortal resurrected believers, and normal human survivors who just live super long lives and can still die?
3. Does "this generation" in Mark 13:30 only apply to the events leading up to the Millennium?

Just trying to figure out how people who take a futurist or premillennial view harmonize these verses, or if I'm looking at the timeline wrong. Appreciate any insights or scholarly context!

My family (especially my brother) say it to me when I’m down. But I was wondering, are there any Bible verses that confirmed the saying? The only two I remember is where satan give Judas thought to kill Jesus, and when King David had and made love with a woman that was already married. Were those examples of that saying? If they are, then I want more examples. If there aren’t, I still want examples of that saying in the Bible.

—— Matthew 20:1–16 ——

It is quite difficult to understand the "Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard" through the lens of worldly calculation. This is because the landowner paid the exact same wage—one denarius—to both the worker who came early in the morning and laborized all day under the scorching sun, and the worker who entered just one hour before the day ended.

To our eyes, living in an era of capitalism and strict meritocracy, this seems utterly unfair.

It is only natural that complaints arise, asking, "How can everyone receive the exact same reward?" However, before throwing out this complaint, we must first look at the condition of those who were left standing helplessly in the labor market late into the afternoon.

Who were the ones who entered the vineyard early in the morning? They were likely those with strong physiques, sturdy builds, superior skills, and proven experience—the ones who naturally caught others' eyes first. On the other hand, those left wandering the streets until late afternoon were people who lacked physical strength, skills, or experience, failing to meet the world’s standards.

Our lives closely resemble this. As we live, we experience countless rejections:

• "You lack the academic background and experience, so we cannot work together."
• "Your family background and credentials are insufficient, making it difficult."
• "Your appearance and external conditions fall below our standards."
• "Your practical abilities or performance metrics are not enough."
• "You were not born with a silver or gold spoon, so it is hard for you to participate."

We hope for fair opportunities, but the world is inherently unfair from birth, always favoring the accomplished, competent, and well-connected while giving them priority in projects. And to those who fall short of these criteria, it leaves cold scars of rejection. The workers who could not find work until late afternoon were no different. It was not that they lacked the willingness to work.

They were simply rejected by everyone because they lacked the conditions and capabilities required by the world. What they had to endure was not just hunger, but the deeper pain of rejection and disregard. However, the principle of the Kingdom of God is entirely different from that of the world.

While the world looks at conditions and credentials, the Lord looks at our heart and true motivation.

The vineyard owner approached those who had been rejected and hurt by the world and asked:

"Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?"

When they lamented, "Because no one has hired us," the Lord did not inquire about their lacking conditions or qualifications. Looking solely at the desire for the Kingdom of God within them, He willingly called them into the field of ministry. And He promised them the exact same reward of grace as those who arrived early. This is not a matter of fairness, but a matter of grace.

This principle can also be found in sports. In Major League Baseball, even a player who pitched just one inning in the World Series receives the exact same championship ring as his teammates if the team wins. This is because victory is achieved not through individual brilliance, but through the unification of the entire team. If someone argued that it is unfair for a bench player who played only one inning to receive a championship ring, they would face fierce criticism from both the organization and the media.

The Kingdom of God works the same way. The reward we receive is not a differential compensation based on individual performance indicators like the world’s evaluation standards. Salvation and the glory of God's Kingdom are a "team grace" enjoyed together by the entire Church through the victory accomplished by Jesus Christ.

Are you discouraged by comparing yourself to others because of your lacking credentials or background?

The Lord does not judge our achievements or abilities. If you have a sincere heart ready to respond to His call, "Will you go with me?", the Lord willingly invites you into His vineyard today. He binds up the wounds of rejection received from the world with His grace and promises the same glorious reward of the Kingdom of God.

God possesses infinite and cosmic wealth. Paying a full day's wage to a worker who labored for only one hour will not cause God to go bankrupt or face criticism from shareholders. We must never limit the power and mercy of the Almighty with finite human calculations.

I sincerely pray that today you will boldly draw near to the Lord of grace, who embraces us even when we are unqualified.

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."
(1 Corinthians 1:27–29)

"And the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.”
(1 Corinthians 12:23–25)

In Genesis 1:27, mankind is created (ברא) in Gods image-male and female together, blessed and told to replenish the earth.

In Genesis 2:7, a man is formed (וייצר) from the dust of the ground and placed in a Garden that God planted.

Do these two passages describe the same human group, or does the Hebrew vocabulary and narrative context indicate two distinct acts involving different human populations?

I'm interested in how Hebrew grammar, narrative structure, and ancient Near Eastern context inform this question.

Hello everyone!

After some various letdowns on the really appalling quality of Catholic printed media compared to Protestant equivalents (a topic worthy of a lot of discussion, if only from an anthropological perspective), I'm pretty tired of opting for Bibles which are overpriced and fail to deliver quality materials, or even more common, are at the top of the price range for a Catholic Bible yet still fails to deliver.

Look, Schuyler Bibles are beautiful. They're a joy to hold and to read, they last forever, you develop a relationship to this particular book, it goes on journeys with you. There's a value to that which buying ten to fifteen cheaper Bibles over a lifetime (which may even be more costly in the long run) just cannot compare to. The Word of God ought to be beautiful. I don't buy many nice things, but those things which are dedicated to God and liturgy, I am willing to invest in.

Catholics, as far as I know, don't have that. The best I have been able to find, so far, is the Word on Fire volume set. They're beautiful. They also aren't durable. I love the translation, the commentary was insightful. I appreciate having the Deuterocanon where it belongs. But it's still not what I'm looking for.

What are my options, really? No disrespect to Schuyler, they do amazing work. But I really don't want to buy a Bible with the Deutrocanon shoved in the back like it's a second thought. That would be a tragedy to me to read. I love the RSV, it's such a joy to read, so their RSV with Apocrypha has been tempting for that reason. But I want something decidedly Catholic, not a good-enough compromise. Does anyone have any ideas?

And yes I've seen that Ascension Press is working on offering a very high quality Catholic American Bible translation, but from the excerpts I've seen of the CAB, it somehow seems less enjoyable to read than the NABRE (what a bizarre sentence).

I was raised by an atheist in an atheist family that looks down upon those who believe in God.
Ive come to believe in God, even though I do have doubts and even more so struggle with identifying if the God I’ve come to connect with is the Christian God or some other entity.

I’m reading the Bible for the first time, starting with the gospels.

Very often I come across a verse or phrase that I don’t understand or comprehend
(For example in LUKE 8:56 why did Jesus tell the parents of the healed child not to tell anyone what happened when he had previously encouraged others to spread the word of his miracles?)
I’m not looking to challenge it or find reasons not to believe I just want to understand
This is one of dozens of questions I’ve run into.

Does anybody have any websites, apps, or resources, etc., they’d recommend to answer quick questions as I’m reading??

Any thoughts on using AI to help explain verses or concepts as im going through?

I highly recommend reading the entirety of Matthew 9 before answering

One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, "Why don't your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?" Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Now this is talking about the resurrection I'm fairly curtain but i don't get why right after he says

Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved."

So i just don't understand the correlation if any you'd think when he says besides that means it has something to do with his first point but i can't really understand it if anyone understands this if you could elaborate that'd be appreciated

Hello everyone!

Can you remember any experiences of being you wronged/accused/punished unfairly, you suffering the unjust wrong, and being blessed one day for it? Would be grateful if you could share.

Today, I read 2 Samuel 16. In it, David is fleeing from his son Absalom, who is trying to kill him. This is the same Absalom who killed his own brother, and fled. People pleaded for him, and David's great love for his son got the better of him and he brought him back. Eventually, Absolom repaid his father's compassion with treason.

During his flight, David comes across a man named Shimei in verses 5, who begins to curse him. He accuses David of stealing the throne from Saul, and says that David's misfortune is because he stole the throne from Saul.

Shimei's accusation is absurd because David had multiple opportunities to steal Saul's throne, like when he defeated Goliath and the times he found Saul sleeping, yet chose not to!

But something in David's response stunned me.

He said:

'And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.'

This suggests some kind of spiritual principle/law that unwarranted affliction is an avenue for blessing. Maybe that's why James says to count it pure joy when we face go through trials?

So have you experienced this principle/scripture in your life?

Hello,,

I am hoping to get an answer to this question. I recently purchased a Ryie Study Bible, 1977 NASB version from eBay. I also purchased a Ryie Study Bible with the NASB 95 Update. The next day, I was browsing on the site again and found the Ryie Study Bible Expanded edition.

I am wondering if the NASB 95 Update has the same volume of notes and charts/ diagrams as the Expanded version?

The NASB 95 version does have cross references on the side and not center column.

Can anyone answer this?

Is wisdom the same as knowledge of good and evil? The bible uses them interchangeably in some points like when Solomon asked god for the ability to differentiate between right and wrong, but later it described his request was for wisdom instead of being able to differentiate between right and wrong.

My girlfriends family gave it to me as a gift and im excited to read it and better my life. These past few years have been difficult and im so new to all this, ive been going to Church with her family and although I make mistakes I want to be better and I want to do better.

I have a long road ahead of me but just reading that first page, it makes me happy.

I mean as a Christ type, not a list of Israel's literal prophets, priests and kings.

Examples would be Adam and Melchizadek.

Been with my company for almost 12 years.

Other person doing my job quit earlier this year, her replacement only lasted a cpl months.

New replacement being hired, part time, and is going to be offered starting pay of $7 more an hour than I make.

What's a good verse/parable to ponder instead of blowing my top? I know Job's an obvious, but looking for something.

3 years to go before I can retire.

Hello, I’m wanting to highlight my Bible without ruining the pages. I’m not wanting to use stickies or tabs. But highlight it so I can return. Thank you all