The author continues his reflection on Jesus' fulfilling of the covenant God made with Israel. The work of priests, he says, is 'really only a copy and a shadow of what is in heaven'. Jesus, though, is a priest in heaven: 'He serv...

The great theme of this opening chapter of 1 Peter is the new beginning that God has brought to those who trust in Jesus. 'Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death,' the author says (verse 3).

The message and imagery are so compelling, it is easy to miss the fact that Jesus is encouraging his listeners to observe nature. 

The writer of Hebrews is overwhelmed with a sense of the glory of Christ. He takes the words of Psalm 8 about human beings lifted up and 'crowned with glory and honour' (verse 7) and applies them directly to Jesus.

King Cyrus, the Persian ruler whose vast empire included the Holy Land and who was to allow the exiled Jews to return home from Babylon, was not a believer in the God of Israel. However, God believed in him: 'I have given you great honour, altho...

The story of the calling of the first disciples is so well known that we don't always see how remarkable it is. Jesus is walking along the lake shore and sees Peter and Andrew fishing; 'Come with me,' he says, 'and I will teach yo...

Even within the lifespan of people like the apostle John who were close followers of Jesus and witnessed first-hand his life, death and resurrection, there were false teachers travelling around and leading believers astray with a message other than t...

Few things affect people’s mental health as badly as anxiety. Though it may show in more ways than one, anxiety is essentially about losing control. Jesus knew this.

In Colossians, Paul lays out a vision of Christian living focused on the person of Jesus. The first chapter contains a lyrical passage, almost a hymn, in which he unpacks the implications of the incarnation.

This is a strange story, because it seems to show Jesus treating harshly someone who comes to him in desperate need ...

In this chapter the author continues his reflections on Jesus as the Great High Priest. He is uniquely himself, rather than standing in the succession of priests descending from Aaron (verse 10); and unlike other high priests, he did not have to offe...

John continues to unpack the implications of believing in Jesus. Here, he focuses on what this means for our behaviour towards other people. How we treat others is the test of whether we are really who we say we are: 'This is how we can be sure ...

You’d be amazed at the opportunities to share the good news in Egypt right now. Our team can give out as many Bibles as you can provide them with.

Twenty thousand children in Egypt have been blessed with backpacks packed with Scripture resources thanks to the generosity of Bible Society supporters.

Peter compares what the lives of believers ought to be with what he sees around him of the lives of 'pagans' – those who aren't Jews, but who worship the old gods and goddesses of Greece and Rome or the Eastern divinities.

This passage contains a story within a story. Jesus is on the way to the home of Jairus, whose little daughter is ill. On the way there's an encounter with a sick woman. Her case is far less urgent; she has been bleeding for 12 years, while the ...

The image of the shepherd was a very potent one in Jewish life. Israel's greatest king, David, was a shepherd. In Psalm 23, God himself is described as the shepherd of his people. In this chapter, though, Jesus may be reflecting on Ezekiel 34, w...

Mary's action in anointing Jesus would have been very shocking given the customs and outlook of the time. It still shocks us today; it's an uncomfortably intimate picture of devotion. It's also a very beautiful image, in which Mary ado...

Philip and Thomas have burning questions (John 14.5 and 8): where is Jesus headed? How can they know the way? What is God like? It is the questions, not the illusion of having the answers, that bring the disciples closer to Christ.

Jesus' miracles impress the people. But when he starts to talk about eating his flesh and drinking his blood – veiled references to his sacrificial death, and to the sacrificial meal worshippers shared – he loses them. They can't believ...