When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil generation . Jesus was a healer of physical and mental illnesses and an exorcist.   The evil spirits that he cast out knew who he was, but the Jews rejected him (Jn. 7:1; Mt. 21:42).   Jesus warned the Scribes and Pharisees that the condition of a person who was cleansed of evil spirits was not necessarily permanent.   If a person from whom an evil spirit was expelled does not start a new life in Christ filled with faith hope, and love, the person can end up spiritually worse off than before.   Jesus then applied t...

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 3 The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” 4 He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’” 8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if...

Happy the one who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding! 14 Her profit is better than profit in silver, and better than gold is her revenue; 15 She is more precious than corals, and no treasure of yours can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand, in her left are riches and honor; 17 Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace; 18 She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, and those who hold her fast are happy. 19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, established the heavens by understanding; 20 By his knowledge the depths are split, and the clouds drop down dew. The Proverbs of Solomon were written, “ That people may know wisdom and discipline, may understand intelligent sayings; May receive instruction in wise conduct, in what is right, just and fair (Prov. 1:2-3)".   It is to teach wisdom to the young (Prov. 1:4) as well as the mature (Prov. 1:5).   The first 10 chapters contain instruction, and the remainder of Proverbs is compr...

I repeat the request I made of you when I was on my way to Macedonia, that you stay in Ephesus to instruct certain people not to teach false doctrines 4 or to concern themselves with myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the plan of God that is to be received by faith. 5 The aim of this instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 6 Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk, 7 wanting to be teachers of the law, but without understanding either what they are saying or what they assert with such assurance. 8 We know that the law is good, provided that one uses it as law, 9 with the understanding that law is meant not for a righteous person but for the lawless and unruly, the godless and sinful, the unholy and profane, those who kill their fathers or mothers, murderers, 10 the unchaste, sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to sound teaching, 11 according to ...

Li ght is sweet! and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. 8 However many years mortals may live, let them, as they enjoy them all, remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that is to come is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O youth, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; Yet understand regarding all this that God will bring you to judgment. 10 Banish misery from your heart and remove pain from your body, for youth and black hair are fleeting. 1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come And the years approach of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 Before the sun is darkened, and the light and the moon and the stars and the clouds return after the rain; 3 When the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent; When the women who grind are idle because they are few, and those who look through the windows grow blind; 4 When the doors...

He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and twere saying o heal [the sick]. 3 He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. 5 And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” 6 Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere. 7 Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; 8 others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” 9 But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him. M...

See, days are coming—oracle of the Lord —when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. They broke my covenant, though I was their master—oracle of the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days—oracle of the Lord. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 They will no longer teach their friends and relatives, “Know the Lord!” Everyone, from least to greatest, shall know me—oracle of the Lord —for I will forgive their iniquity and no longer remember their sin. In the Old Testament, the covenant referred to in Jeremiah 31:31-34 is known as the New Covenant. This prophecy foretells a future covenant that would differ from the Old Covenant, which was established between God and the Israelites at Mt. S...

From Mount Hor they set out by way of the Red Sea, to bypass the land of Edom, but the people’s patience was worn out by the journey; 5 so the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” 6 So the Lord sent among the people seraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of the Israelites died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, 8 and the Lord said to Moses: Make a seraph and mount it on a pole, and everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover. 9 Accordingly Moses made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever the serpent bit someone, the person looked at the bronze serpent and recovered. Moses led the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt and as they journeyed around the land of Edom on th...