Various Bible Passages: Choose the Real One
Is approving government hand-outs what Jesus meant when He taught us to care for one another? Let's check out what the Bible teaches. Below you will find Bible passages in sets of two. In each set, one is a fraud. See if you can identify which is the imposter and which is the real deal. Then check your answers at www.biblegateway.com (opens into new window) or look up the passages in your own Bible. Have fun! (All passages are taken from the New International Version.)
James 1:27
a. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to pay for the government to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
b. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Acts 4:32
a. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had and insisted that everyone else in society do the same.
b. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
Exodus 20:17
a. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
b. You shall covet your neighbor's house. You shall covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor, and it shall be redistributed to you accordingly.
Exodus 20:15
a. You shall redistribute to make things equal.
b. You shall not steal.
Matthew 7:7-12
a. Demand and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the neighbor's door will be opened to you. For everyone who demands receives from the government; he who seeks government aid finds; and to him who knocks, the door of the treasury is opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? You, then, since you are evil (or stupid), don't know how to give good nutritious gifts to your children, but how much will your uncle in Washington give you in good gifts even if you don't ask him! So in everything, demand that others give you what you deserve, for they've made this the law and they profit!
b. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
James 1:27
a. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to pay for the government to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
b. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Acts 4:32
a. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had and insisted that everyone else in society do the same.
b. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
Exodus 20:17
a. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
b. You shall covet your neighbor's house. You shall covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor, and it shall be redistributed to you accordingly.
Exodus 20:15
a. You shall redistribute to make things equal.
b. You shall not steal.
Matthew 7:7-12
a. Demand and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the neighbor's door will be opened to you. For everyone who demands receives from the government; he who seeks government aid finds; and to him who knocks, the door of the treasury is opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? You, then, since you are evil (or stupid), don't know how to give good nutritious gifts to your children, but how much will your uncle in Washington give you in good gifts even if you don't ask him! So in everything, demand that others give you what you deserve, for they've made this the law and they profit!
b. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.