The New Testament

Every line we carry

Each one links to its source, what it means, and the shirt in any of our looks.

1. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

   The Greek verb can mean both to overcome and to grasp: darkness can neither put out the light nor understand it. However dark it gets, a small light still wins. Keep yours lit.

   John 1:5, our translation from the Greek

2. Nothing is impossible with God.

   The angel says this to Mary when she asks how something impossible could happen. Literally: no word from God will be powerless. When the facts say no, faith keeps the door open.

   Luke 1:37, our translation from the Greek

3. Suffering builds endurance. Endurance builds character. Character builds hope.

   Paul gives a chain reaction: pain, when you stay in it, turns into staying power, then into proven character, then into hope. Hard seasons are not wasted. Stay with the difficulty long enough for it to make you.

   Romans 5:3-4, our translation from the Greek

4. All things work together for good for those who love God.

   Paul does not say all things are good. He says they are worked together toward good. Even the bad chapter can serve the story, so do not judge the book by one page.

   Romans 8:28, our translation from the Greek

5. If God is for us, who can be against us?

   Opposition is real, but it is not final. When you know you are held, the size of the crowd against you matters less. Stand on what you know to be right and let the rest come.

   Romans 8:31, our translation from the Greek

6. In all these things we are more than conquerors.

   The Greek is a single word, hypernikomen: we over-win. Paul writes it after a list of hardships, not instead of them. You do not just survive the hard thing; you come out stronger.

   Romans 8:37, our translation from the Greek

7. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

   Paul lists everything that might come between: death, life, angels, powers, height, depth. None of them can do it. Whatever you are facing, you are not facing it unloved.

   Romans 8:38-39, our translation from the Greek

8. Do not be conformed to this age. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

   The Greek contrasts being pressed into a shape from outside with being changed from within. You become what you let shape your thinking. Choose your inputs and renew your mind on purpose.

   Romans 12:2, our translation from the Greek

9. Rejoice in hope. Endure in trouble. Keep praying.

   Three short commands for any season: look forward with joy, hold steady under pressure, stay in conversation with God. Each one supports the other two. Say them in the morning and live them by night.

   Romans 12:12, our translation from the Greek

10. Do not be overcome by evil. Overcome evil with good.

    When someone wrongs you, the danger is becoming like them. Paul's answer is to fight back with the one weapon they cannot match. Repay harm with good and you stay the winner.

    Romans 12:21, our translation from the Greek

11. The night is nearly over. The day is near. Put on the armor of light.

    Paul writes as if dawn is already breaking. Dress for the day that is coming, not the night that is ending. Act now like the person you will be in the light.

    Romans 13:12, our translation from the Greek

12. Run to win.

    Corinth hosted the Isthmian Games, and Paul's readers knew what a stadium race looked like. Everyone runs, but you run with purpose. Train and compete like the prize is real, because it is.

    1 Corinthians 9:24, our translation from the Greek

13. I do not run aimlessly. I do not box the air.

    Paul uses the language of the runner and the boxer: every step and every punch should land. Effort without aim is just exhaustion. Know your target before you swing.

    1 Corinthians 9:26, our translation from the Greek

14. Love is patient. Love is kind.

    The famous chapter defines love by what it does, not how it feels. Patience and kindness are the first two marks. Test your love by how you treat people when you are tired.

    1 Corinthians 13:4, our translation from the Greek

15. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

    Four verbs, each with the word all. Real love carries weight, keeps faith, stays hopeful and does not quit. It is less a mood than a long endurance.

    1 Corinthians 13:7, our translation from the Greek

16. Love never fails.

    Knowledge fades and gifts run out, but love does not fall away. Everything else is temporary equipment. Invest in what lasts.

    1 Corinthians 13:8, our translation from the Greek

17. When I became a man, I put away childish things.

    Growing up means leaving some things behind on purpose. Old habits of thinking that fit a child do not fit an adult. Ask what you are still carrying that you have outgrown.

    1 Corinthians 13:11, our translation from the Greek

18. Faith, hope, love. The greatest of these is love.

    Three things remain when everything else passes, and one ranks above the rest. Faith and hope point toward something; love is already the thing itself. If you must choose where to spend yourself, choose love.

    1 Corinthians 13:13, our translation from the Greek

19. Death, where is your sting?

    Paul taunts death the way a soldier taunts a beaten enemy, quoting the prophet Hosea. For him the resurrection has pulled the stinger out. Live without the fear that the end has the last word.

    1 Corinthians 15:55, our translation from the Greek

20. Stand firm. Do not be moved. Your work is not in vain.

    Paul ends his great chapter on resurrection with a practical word: keep working. Effort that seems wasted is not lost. Stay steady and keep doing the good work.

    1 Corinthians 15:58, our translation from the Greek

21. Stay awake. Stand firm in the faith. Be brave. Be strong.

    Four military-style commands at the end of a letter. The Greek andrizesthe means act with courage, like grown men in battle. Keep watch, hold your ground, find your nerve.

    1 Corinthians 16:13, our translation from the Greek

22. Pressed on every side, but not crushed.

    Paul describes pressure that is real but not final. You can be squeezed without being broken. Name the pressure honestly, then remember it has not won.

    2 Corinthians 4:8, our translation from the Greek

23. Struck down, but not destroyed.

    A fighter can be knocked down without being knocked out. Falling is not the same as losing. Get up.

    2 Corinthians 4:9, our translation from the Greek

24. What is seen is temporary. What is unseen is eternal.

    Most of what we worry about is visible and passing. Character, love and faith cannot be photographed, and they last. Put your attention where it will still matter in a hundred years.

    2 Corinthians 4:18, our translation from the Greek

25. We walk by faith, not by sight.

    You rarely see the whole road before you start. Faith is taking the next step when the destination is out of view. Walk on what you know when you cannot see what is ahead.

    2 Corinthians 5:7, our translation from the Greek

26. Power is made perfect in weakness.

    Paul asked three times for a painful weakness to be taken away and heard this answer instead. Weakness can become the place where real strength shows. Stop hiding the cracks; they may be where the light gets in.

    2 Corinthians 12:9, our translation from the Greek

27. When I am weak, then I am strong.

    A paradox Paul learned the hard way. When you stop relying only on yourself, you find a strength you did not have. Admit the weakness and lean on what is greater.

    2 Corinthians 12:10, our translation from the Greek

28. Stand firm in freedom.

    Paul warns people who had been freed not to walk back into the old chains. Freedom has to be defended or it slips away. Do not let fear or habit put the yoke back on.

    Galatians 5:1, our translation from the Greek

29. Carry each other's burdens.

    No one was built to carry everything alone. Helping with someone else's load is how love becomes practical. Ask who near you is carrying too much, and pick up a corner.

    Galatians 6:2, our translation from the Greek

30. Whatever you sow, you will reap.

    A farmer's law applied to a life. Habits, words and choices grow into a harvest you will have to eat. Plant on purpose.

    Galatians 6:7, our translation from the Greek

31. Do not tire of doing good. In due season you will reap.

    Good work often shows no results for a long time. The harvest comes in its own season, and only to those still in the field. Keep sowing.

    Galatians 6:9, our translation from the Greek

32. Do not let the sun go down on your anger.

    Paul allows anger but sets a deadline on it. Anger kept overnight hardens into resentment. Settle it, or at least set it down, before you sleep.

    Ephesians 4:26, our translation from the Greek

33. Walk as children of light.

    Paul tells his readers they once were darkness and now are light. Identity comes first, then the walk follows. Live like who you already are.

    Ephesians 5:8, our translation from the Greek

34. Wake up, sleeper. Rise, and Christ will shine on you.

    Probably a line from an early Christian hymn, quoted by Paul. It is a call to get up out of a dead or drowsy life. The light is waiting for you to rise.

    Ephesians 5:14, our translation from the Greek

35. Make the most of your time.

    The Greek says buy up the opportunity, like a merchant who does not let a bargain pass. Time is the one resource you cannot earn back. Spend today like it is worth something, because it is.

    Ephesians 5:16, our translation from the Greek

36. Put on the full armor of God.

    Paul wrote this chained to a Roman soldier and borrowed his gear for the picture. No piece is optional: truth, justice, readiness, faith, rescue and the word. Dress for the fight every morning.

    Ephesians 6:11, our translation from the Greek

37. Having done everything, stand.

    Sometimes victory is simply not giving ground. When you have done all you can, the last task is to stay standing. Hold your position.

    Ephesians 6:13, our translation from the Greek

38. Take up the shield of faith.

    The Roman shield Paul names was a large door-shaped one, often soaked in water to put out flaming arrows. Faith is what stops the fire aimed at you. Raise it before the arrows come.

    Ephesians 6:16, our translation from the Greek

39. He who began a good work in you will finish it.

    Paul writes with confidence about people still very much in progress. You are not a finished product, and you are not abandoned halfway. Be patient with the work still being done in you.

    Philippians 1:6, our translation from the Greek

40. Forget what lies behind. Reach for what lies ahead.

    Paul had plenty in his past to brag about and plenty to regret. He drops both and leans forward like a runner at the tape. Your past does not get a vote on your next step.

    Philippians 3:13, our translation from the Greek

41. I press on toward the goal.

    The word for goal is skopos, the marker a runner fixes his eyes on. Paul is not there yet and says so. Keep your eyes on the mark and keep moving.

    Philippians 3:14, our translation from the Greek

42. Rejoice always. Again I say, rejoice.

    Paul wrote this from prison. Joy here is a choice and a practice, not a reaction to good news. Find something to be glad about today, and then find it again.

    Philippians 4:4, our translation from the Greek

43. Do not be anxious about anything.

    Paul's remedy follows at once: turn every worry into a request, with thanks. Anxiety shrinks when it is spoken out loud to someone who can help. Name it, hand it over, say thank you.

    Philippians 4:6, our translation from the Greek

44. Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely: think about these things.

    Your mind becomes what it dwells on. Paul gives a filter for attention: is it true, is it noble, is it good. Choose what you feed your thoughts.

    Philippians 4:8, our translation from the Greek

45. I have learned to be content in whatever state I am.

    Paul says learned: contentment is a skill, not a mood. He had known both plenty and hunger. Practice being at peace with what you have before you get what you want.

    Philippians 4:11, our translation from the Greek

46. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

    In context, Paul means he can face both hunger and plenty, both good times and bad. It is a promise of strength to endure, not a guarantee of winning every game. Whatever comes, you will not face it alone.

    Philippians 4:13, our translation from the Greek

47. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.

    The Greek says from the soul. Ordinary work done wholeheartedly becomes an offering. Do the task in front of you as if the best audience were watching.

    Colossians 3:23, our translation from the Greek

48. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything.

    Three of the shortest commands in the New Testament, each with no exceptions. Joy, prayer and thanks become a way of living rather than events. Start with one and let the others follow.

    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, our translation from the Greek

49. Test everything. Hold on to what is good.

    Faith is not the same as believing everything. Paul asks his readers to examine ideas and keep the good ones. Be open, be critical, and keep what proves true.

    1 Thessalonians 5:21, our translation from the Greek

50. Let no one look down on you because you are young. Set the example.

    Paul tells a young leader not to wait for permission to lead. Age earns some respect; example earns more. Be the standard, whatever your age.

    1 Timothy 4:12, our translation from the Greek

51. Fight the good fight of faith.

    The Greek agon means a contest, the struggle of an athlete in the games. Faith is not passive; it takes effort and grit. Get in the arena and compete well.

    1 Timothy 6:12, our translation from the Greek

52. Not a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.

    Fear is not your native setting. Paul names three things in its place: strength, love and clear self-control. When fear speaks, answer with all three.

    2 Timothy 1:7, our translation from the Greek

53. Fought the good fight. Finished the race. Kept the faith.

    Written near the end of Paul's life, probably in a Roman prison. Three things he can say with no regret: he fought, he finished, he stayed true. Live so you can say the same.

    2 Timothy 4:7, our translation from the Greek

54. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen.

    The opening line of the great chapter of faith. Faith gives weight to what you hope for and conviction about what you cannot see yet. Act on it as if it were already solid.

    Hebrews 11:1, our translation from the Greek

55. Run with endurance the race set before you.

    The race is set before you: you did not design the course, but you can run it. Endurance matters more than speed. Pace yourself for the long run and keep going.

    Hebrews 12:1, our translation from the Greek

56. Throw off everything that weighs you down.

    Runners strip down before a race. Some of what slows you is wrong, and some is just extra weight. Drop whatever does not help you run.

    Hebrews 12:1, our translation from the Greek

57. No discipline feels good at the time. Later it yields a harvest of peace.

    The Greek word for those trained by it is gymnazo, the root of gymnasium. Training hurts while you are in it and pays off afterward. Accept the soreness for the strength it brings.

    Hebrews 12:11, our translation from the Greek

58. Lift your drooping hands. Strengthen your weak knees.

    A picture of a tired runner near the end. The writer does not deny the fatigue, he answers it. Straighten up and take the next step.

    Hebrews 12:12, our translation from the Greek

59. I will never leave you. I will never abandon you.

    The writer quotes God's old promise to Joshua and stacks negatives in the Greek: never, no never. You can be content with what you have because you are not alone. Rest on that.

    Hebrews 13:5, our translation from the Greek

60. Count it all joy when you fall into trials.

    James does not say trials are joyful. He says count them as joy, because of what they produce. Change how you score the hard days.

    James 1:2, our translation from the Greek

61. If you lack wisdom, ask.

    James promises that God gives generously and without scolding. Not knowing is no shame; refusing to ask is. Ask God, ask people who know, and keep asking.

    James 1:5, our translation from the Greek

62. Blessed is the one who endures. He will receive the crown of life.

    The crown is the wreath given to winning athletes. Endurance is how it is won. Stay in the contest.

    James 1:12, our translation from the Greek

63. Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

    Three speeds for one conversation. Most arguments would end early if we reversed our usual order. Listen fully before you answer, and answer before you get angry.

    James 1:19, our translation from the Greek

64. Be doers of the word, not hearers only.

    Listening to good advice feels like progress, but it is not. James says hearing without doing is a way of fooling yourself. Turn one thing you know into one thing you do today.

    James 1:22, our translation from the Greek

65. Faith without works is dead.

    Belief that never moves your hands is not alive. James asks for faith you can see in action. Let what you believe show up in what you do.

    James 2:17, our translation from the Greek

66. A small fire sets a great forest ablaze.

    James is talking about the tongue. One careless word can burn down years of trust. Watch the small sparks.

    James 3:5, our translation from the Greek

67. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

    Temptation is a bully, and bullies back down when you stand up. Resistance works better than negotiation. Say no early and mean it.

    James 4:7, our translation from the Greek

68. Come near to God, and he will come near to you.

    A simple promise of response. The first step is yours to take, and it is answered. Take one step closer today.

    James 4:8, our translation from the Greek

69. Love covers a multitude of sins.

    Peter echoes Proverbs: love does not keep a running tally. Deep love makes room for each other's failures. Let some things go for the sake of the bond.

    1 Peter 4:8, our translation from the Greek

70. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.

    The verb means to throw, like tossing a load off your back. You were not meant to carry every worry. Name it, throw it, and walk lighter.

    1 Peter 5:7, our translation from the Greek

71. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

    John's whole message in one line. There is nothing hidden, nothing double, nothing dark in the source of all things. Walk toward that light and let it show you clearly.

    1 John 1:5, our translation from the Greek

72. Greater is the one in you than the one in the world.

    John writes to a small, pressured community. What lives in them is stronger than what stands against them. Remember who you carry when the odds look bad.

    1 John 4:4, our translation from the Greek

73. God is love.

    Three words in Greek: ho theos agape. Not only that God loves, but that love is what God is. Wherever you find real love, you are near the source.

    1 John 4:8, our translation from the Greek

74. There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear.

    Fear and love compete for the same space. The more fully you are loved and love, the less room fear has. Push out fear by growing love.

    1 John 4:18, our translation from the Greek

75. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

    Spoken to a church in Smyrna facing prison and persecution. The promise is not escape but a crown at the end. Stay true all the way through.

    Revelation 2:10, our translation from the Greek

76. I stand at the door and knock.

    God pictured not as breaking in but as knocking and waiting. The door is opened from the inside. Listen for the knock and open it.

    Revelation 3:20, our translation from the Greek

77. He will wipe away every tear.

    John's vision ends with grief undone: no more death, mourning or pain. It is a promise for the end and a comfort now. Sorrow is real, but it is not the last word.

    Revelation 21:4, our translation from the Greek

78. Behold, I make all things new.

    Spoken from the throne at the close of the Bible. Not new things, but all things made new: renewal rather than replacement. Nothing you have broken is beyond being made new.

    Revelation 21:5, our translation from the Greek