Category: Illustrated Study Bible

Whether finishing college, high school, middle school, or even kindergarten, graduation is a time of transition and change. It is an exciting time that also comes with a bit of trepidation about the future. What’s next? How does this change my relationships? Is the best really yet to come?

Change will always be part of our lives, but we can help our loved ones confidently take the next step, knowing they are grounded in the Word of the Lord, which will help establish a firm foundation for exciting adventures to come.

Here are some ideas for Bible gifts for the graduates in your life.

High School Graduates

Serious study comes to life with the Student Life Application Study Bible. This full-color Bible is teeming with resources that allow the truth of Scripture to jump off the page and into the lives of young adults. Equipped with the revolutionary Filament Bible app, this Bible has over 27,000 in-print and in-app notes as well as videos, infographics, maps, and more to encourage not only daily Bible reading and engagement but also life transformation. As grads head off to a new world, help them grow in their relationship with Christ with this innovative Bible.

Linking to remarkably creative audio and video resources, the NLT Streetlights New Testament explains Christian truth to young people and serves as a basic discipleship tool. Its unique tone and approach to the gospel appeals strongly to those in an urban culture. The features focus on helping readers engage with the Word of God through unique audio and visual content, including putting the New Living Translation to beats and street art that reflects people in the New Testament.

The HelpFinder Bible makes it easy to find the Bible’s answers to life’s difficult questions. Application notes connect the Bible’s truths to life, and the extensive HelpFinder topical index at the front of the Bible provides instant access to thousands of verses and notes on well over 100 key topics that are important and relevant today, pointing readers to where God’s answers can be discovered.

College Graduates and Beyond

Help those you love go further in their Bible reading and study with the Filament Bible Collection. Beautiful Bibles create a comfortable and engaging reading experience. Want to go further? Scan the page number for mind-blowing study notes, devotionals, videos, worship music, and more all curated for the page you are reading. The Filament Bible app seamlessly connects you to vast and varied in-depth content related to what you are reading.

As we face the rigors beyond college, our lives can easily get filled with daily tasks, and Bible reading can fall by the wayside. The One Year Chronological Study Bible can help keep us on track. This Bible takes you through the story of the Bible in the order that the events actually occurred. Using the easy-to-follow 14 eras timeline, each daily reading includes a Scripture passage, a study note that introduces what you will read, and three questions to help you reflect on the reading and guide you through the story.

The Illustrated Study Bible gives readers a gorgeous visual study experience. Hundreds of information-rich windows to the Bible world instantly communicate foundational truths and complex information in an understandable, compelling way for today’s visual generation. The who, what, where, when, and why of the Bible come alive with stunning photos, illustrations, infographics, and full-color maps integrated seamlessly with background material, study notes, and theme articles.

The complete 16-volume set of Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary draws on beloved pastor and author Chuck Swindoll’s more than 50 years of experience studying and preaching God’s Word. Each volume includes both the NLT and NASB translations of the Bible, verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application.

Don’t forget the younger graduates!!!

Kindergarten Graduates

The Hands-On Bible is a perfect first full Bible for young readers. The trusted and easy-to-understand New Living Translation text is combined with activities, crafts, games, recipes, and more to help kids engage with the truths of the Bible in a fun way. The whole family can participate in the activities so you can get conversations started that will bring you closer together as you grow in your understanding of God’s Word.

Middle School Graduates

The Teen Life Application Study Bible is packed with features designed to meet the challenges and needs of today’s high school students. Based on the bestselling Life Application Study Bible, it includes notes and features that help teens ground themselves in the truth of God’s Word and apply it to situations they face each day.

Inspire Bible for Girls is a coloring and journaling Bible uniquely designed for girls. This Bible has over 500 full- and partial-page Scripture line-art illustrations for coloring right alongside the New Living Translation text. It also includes more than 300 devotionals and more than 160 journaling prompts and has lots of wide-margin space for creative journaling and art.

EPIC Bible is a visual journey through 169 Bible stories designed for fans of graphic novels. It was created by some of the best comic book artists from DC and Marvel. The Epic Bible takes readers on a visual journey of Scripture from Eden to eternity. It engages even the most reluctant readers with brilliant and dramatic full-color graphic art and uses the New Living Translation for conversation text.

God created us all unique. He intentionally made us to be different. But what we all have in common is that we are created in God’s image and made to yearn for a relationship with him. God gave us his Word to help us draw closer to him, understand who he is, and discover our role in his story of redemption. How we each engage with God’s Word is just as unique as how he made us! There are lots of great ways to engage with Scripture, and at Tyndale Bibles, we try to provide a variety of options to help you find the one (or ones) that work best for you. Here are a few ideas:

For the Reader

Do you often find yourself immersed in a good story? Can’t stop at the end of one chapter? The Bible is an incredible story, but sometimes instead of reading the Bible, we scrutinize it. Study is a great tool to better understand the truth of the Bible, but we can miss so much if we don’t read it as it was meant to be read.

Immerse: The Reading Bible is the Bible divided into six volumes. It removes chapter and verse numbers for a more seamless reading experience. These paperback volumes help you easily read full passages instead of tiny verse nuggets. Clearing away distractions lets you immerse yourself in the story.

This is a perfect Bible for the booklover—or for anyone who wants to read deeply and bask in the story of God’s love for us!

For the Investigator

Some of us have very analytical minds. We are always asking questions, looking for intricate details, and longing to know more. We want to investigate and learn all we can about a situation or a person. There are some amazing study Bibles that can take us deeper into understanding biblical topics and truths, cultural and historical perspectives, and particular Bible books and passages.

The NLT Study Bible is a great Bible to help you on your investigative journey. Filled with thousands of study notes, maps, and insightful articles, it helps you take that deeper dive into Scripture. For even more insight, you might want to try a commentary series, like the Cornerstone Biblical Commentary series or the Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary series.

The Best of Both Worlds

Sometimes we like a little of everything. We want a great reading experience, but we also enjoy the opportunity to go deeper and learn more about a passage or topic by using quickly accessible study resources.

Filament-enabled text Bibles offer the perfect combination of reading and study. They are beautiful print Bibles that come in lots of great sizes—from compact Bibles that you can easily throw into a bag to super giant print Bibles (with 16-point font!) and so many in between. But the convenience doesn’t stop there. When you download the Filament Bible app, you can open a world of resources just by scanning each page number with your phone or tablet. Dive into study notes, articles, devotionals, interactive maps and graphics, videos, and more! So read deeply, and when you’re ready, just scan the page number and start exploring!

The Filament-enabled Student Life Application Study Bible gives you access to over 27,000 notes between the in-print and in-app content! And we are welcoming three Filament-enabled editions to our bestselling journaling and coloring Bible, the Inspire Bible—adding countless study resources without taking up any journaling space.

So many options!

For the Visual Learner

Some of us are visual learners. We are better able to understand concepts and ideas when we see images or illustrations. We are drawn to art, photography, and infographics because they help us gain additional insight.

The Illustrated Study Bible is a stunning visual study experience. Filled with comprehensive study notes, articles, and profiles, it goes beyond the Scripture text to bring the Bible to life with visuals. The who, what, where, when, and why of the Bible jump off the page with stunning photos, illustrations, infographics, and full-color maps that integrate seamlessly with the scholarly study material. A feast for the eyes, mind, and soul!

For Those Who Ask, “Now What?”

After reading the Bible, do you ever ask yourself, “Now what?” We know the Bible is filled with amazing, transformative truth, but what do we do with it?

The Life Application Study Bible takes the Bible off the page and into your life. Because it understands that God’s Word is more than just a textbook to be studied, this Bible helps you impact your day-to-day with the things you’re learning and reading. Thousands of notes, profiles, maps, charts, and articles make it not only one of the most comprehensive study Bibles available, but also one of the most practical.

For the Creative

God is the Creator, and his creative imprint is on many of our lives. Sometimes we worship through our artistic abilities and bask in his peace through coloring and journaling.

The Inspire Bible collection was created for those who enjoy worshiping through the visual arts. It has hundreds of Scripture-based line-art drawings to color as well as roomy 2.25-inch-wide margins for taking notes or creating your own unique art.

For those not interested in line art, consider a Filament Bible Journal. Each volume in this collection presents an individual book of the New Testament with every other page left blank for taking notes, journaling, asking questions, writing prayers, and more. There are also Filament-enabled wide-margin Bibles, which offer lightly lined 2.25-inch margins on each page.

For the Checklist Checker

For those of us who are obsessed with checklists, a One Year Bible might be the perfect tool to read God’s Word in an organized way. There are many different One Year Bibles, including ones that have prayer prompts, devotionals, study notes, and wide margins.

But what makes One Year Bibles perfect for the organizationally minded is that the Bible is divided into daily reading portions. Whether you are reading a One Year Bible featuring daily passages from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs or making your way through the Bible’s grand story with The One Year Chronological Study Bible, you can check each day’s reading off your list as soon as you are finished.

That’s 365 days of Bible reading already organized for you and checklist ready!

For the Avid Listener

In Romans 10:17, Paul tells us that faith comes through hearing, and for some of us, hearing God’s truth is what helps it stick.

The Streetlights New Testament offers a unique print-plus-audio experience. Every book of the New Testament in the print portion has a QR code that lets you engage with God’s Word through a revolutionary audio component. The ministry team at Streetlights has put the words of the New Living Translation to hip-hop music and beats. Read the Word. Listen to the Word. Be transformed by the Word.

For the Hands-On Learner

Though the Hands-On Bible was created for kids, it’s great for adults, too—especially adults who like to “do” life. This Bible doesn’t let you just sit there. That makes it a great resource for kinesthetic learners. As you engage with activities, games, crafts, recipes, and more, you won’t just read the Bible—you’ll experience it. All your senses will get involved. You’ll see, hear, taste, touch, feel, and maybe even smell the wonders of God’s Word. Interact with this Bible to better understand Scripture and live out its truth.

Whether finishing college, high school, middle school, or even kindergarten, graduation is a time of transition and change. It is an exciting time that also comes with a bit of trepidation about the future. What’s next? How does this change my relationships? Is the best really yet to come?

Change will always be part of our lives, but we can help our loved ones confidently take this next step, knowing they are grounded in the word of the Lord, which will help establish a firm foundation for the exciting adventures to come.

Here are some ideas for Bible gifts for the graduates in your life.

Kindergarten Graduate

The Hands-On Bible is a perfect first full Bible for young readers. The trusted and easy-to-understand New Living Translation text is combined with activities, crafts, games, recipes, and more to help kids engage with the truths of the Bible in a fun way. The whole family can be involved in the activities so you can get conversations started that bring you closer together as you grow in your understanding of God’s Word. Purchase here

Middle School Graduates

The Teen Life Application Study Bible is packed with features designed to meet the challenges and needs of today’s high school students. Based on the bestselling Life Application Study Bible, it includes notes and features that help teens ground themselves in the truth of God’s Word and apply it to situations they face each day. Purchase here

Inspire Bible for Girls is a coloring and journaling Bible uniquely designed for girls. This Bible includes over 500 full- and partial-page Scripture line-art illustrations for coloring right alongside the New Living Translation text. It includes more than 300 devotionals and more than 160 journaling prompts, and it has lots of wide-margin space for creative journaling and art. Purchase here

EPIC Bible is a visual journey through 169 Bible stories designed for fans of graphic novels. It was created by some of the best comic book artists from DC and Marvel. The Epic Bible transports readers through a visual journey of Scripture from Eden to eternity. It engages even the most reluctant readers with brilliant and dramatic full-color graphic art and uses the New Living Translation for conversation text. Purchase here. Also available in Spanish

High School Graduates

Linking to remarkably creative audio and video resources, the NLT Streetlights New Testament explains Christian truth to young people and serves as a basic discipleship tool. Its unique tone and approach to the gospel appeal strongly to those in an urban culture. The features focus on helping readers engage with the Word of God through unique audio and visual content, such as putting the New Living Translation to beats and street art that reflects people in the New Testament. Purchase here

The HelpFinder Bible makes it easy to find the Bible’s answers to life’s difficult questions. Application notes connect the Bible’s truths, and the extensive HelpFinder topical index at the front of the Bible provides instant access to thousands of verses and notes on well over 100 key topics that are important and relevant for today’s issues, pointing readers to where God’s answers can be discovered. Purchase here

Christians Basics Bible is filled with features designed to help readers connect biblical teachings to Christian beliefs and see how those beliefs apply to their lives. By delivering the right amount of both information and application, the Christian Basics Bible can become the catalyst for living a vibrant Christian life. Purchase here

With innovative, full-color visual guides at the top of each reading, The Wayfinding Bible provides readers with three paths through God’s Word: the flyover route, the direct route, and the scenic route. The flyover route covers the most important events in the Bible in about 40 readings, giving a fresh overview of how these events tell the Bible’s big story of God’s redemption. Following the direct route, readers will develop a better understanding of how God’s story unfolds throughout history in about 200 readings. The scenic route helps readers explore new territory and discover the richness and depth of God’s Word in about 400 readings. All without the discouragement of getting bogged down in any single book. Purchase here

College Graduates and Beyond

The remarkable Filament Bible Collection features comfortable reading Bibles in a variety of easy-to-carry sizes, covers, and styles. But there is so much more: Mind-blowing study notes, devotionals, videos, worship music, and more are curated for the page you are reading through the Filament Bible app. Just scan the page number with your phone or tablet to be seamlessly connected to vast and varied in-depth content related to what you are reading. Purchase here

When you put a Bible translation that can be trusted and understood together with one of the most valued Bible study assets in history, what do you get? Tyndale’s Life Application Study Bible in the New Living Translation. This Bible overflows with resources that help readers not only study God’s Word but also apply it to their lives. It includes more than 10,000 notes and features, including  profiles of Bible characters, in-depth charts and maps for reference, extensive book introductions, a vast index, a Bible dictionary, and more. Purchase here

The Illustrated Study Bible brings Scripture’s message to life by giving readers a gorgeous visual study experience. Hundreds of information-rich windows to the Bible world instantly communicate foundational truths and complex information in an understandable, compelling way for today’s visual generation. The who, what, where, when, and why of the Bible come alive with stunning photos, illustrations, infographics, and full-color maps integrated seamlessly with background material, study notes, and theme articles. Purchase here

NLT Art of Life Holy Bible weaves the beautiful NLT text into a rich tapestry of artwork illustrating many living things mentioned in Scripture—people, plants, and animals. Captions highlighting the significance of each illustration and the wide-margin design offer readers a unique way to meditate on Scripture by focusing on God’s creation. Featuring 450 original, hand-drawn illustrations in a unique style, this Bible encourages contemplation and visual interaction with the Word. Purchase here

The complete 16-volume set of Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary draws on beloved pastor and author Chuck Swindoll’s more than 50 years of experience studying and preaching God’s Word. Each volume includes both the NLT and NASB translations of the Bible, verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application.

“And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” Luke 2: 6-7, NLT

Article from the Illustrated Study Bible

Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus is a study in contrasts. On the one side is the lowliness of the birth. A poor peasant couple makes their way to their ancestral home of Bethlehem to register for a census imposed on them by the oppressive Roman Empire. Their journey is a long and hard one from Galilee, and when they arrive they can find no place of lodging. They are consigned to a place reserved for animals. There is a sense of poverty, rejection and obscurity. At the birth of the child, announcements are sent not to great kings or to the rich and powerful, but to lowly shepherds watching their flocks in the field.

Yet beside this humble lowliness is a message of unspeakable power and grandeur. The child who is laid in a manger is the Messiah, the long-awaited descendant of King David. He will reign triumphant over the people of Israel and his kingdom will never end. He is the one spoken about by all the prophets. All of history has been pointing forward to its climax in him. An army of mighty angels comes from heaven to announce his birth.

These contrasts are a foretaste of things to come. In Jesus, the God of Israel and Lord of all the earth has come to visit and to save his people. The Divine One reaches down to meet them where they are. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus will show special concern for the lowly, the poor, the outcast, and sinners. These are the ones he has come to

save because they recognize their need for him. They receive the message of salvation with joy and rejoicing.

The contrast between lowliness and exaltation also relates to Jesus’ mission. Though wicked people reject him and put him to death, Jesus is vindicated at his resurrection.

n and exalted to the right hand of God, where he reigns as Lord and Messiah. From there he pours out the Spirit of God to guide and direct his church. Through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and exaltation Jesus provides

forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all those who respond in faith to him.

Learn more about the Illustrated Study Bible

“…but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” Luke 2:19, NLT

Profile from the Illustrated Study Bible

Mary, the wife of Joseph, was the virgin mother of Jesus. Luke tells us that as a young girl in Nazareth, Mary was betrothed to Joseph, a local carpenter. Before the marriage took place, an angel announced to her that she would become pregnant by the power of God’s Spirit and give birth to the Son of God (1:26‑35). Mary responded to this extraordinary message in simple faith, humbly submitting herself to God’s will (1:38, 46‑55). Shortly thereafter, the message was confirmed by her relative Elizabeth, who spoke of Mary as the most blessed of all women (1:39‑45). Mary’s miraculous bearing of the Son of God was viewed as a fulfillment of prophecy (Isa 7:14).

Jesus’ birth took place in unusual circumstances, when Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem to register for an official Roman census. The child was born in a stable because no other lodging was available (Luke 2:1‑7). Some time later, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt to save the child from Herod’s massacre of young boys in the Bethlehem area (Matt 2:13‑18). When they returned, they resettled in Nazareth to raise their family (Matt 2:19‑23). After Jesus’ birth, Mary apparently gave birth to several other sons and daughters (Matt 13:55‑56; Mark 6:3). It is likely that Mary herself told Luke the details of Jesus’ birth and the unusual events associated with it (Luke 2:51).

When Jesus was twelve years old, he stayed in the Temple during a family trip to Jerusalem. Mary and Joseph rebuked him for staying behind when they departed, but they did not understand Jesus’ response (2:41‑51). Early in Jesus’ public ministry, Mary encouraged him to do a miracle at a wedding in Cana (John 2:1‑11). Later, when she and Jesus’ brothers went to see Jesus, he said that his disciples were his “real family” (Luke 8:19‑21; Matt 12:46‑50; Mark 3:31‑35).

When Jesus was crucified, Mary was among the women looking on (cp. Mark 15:40, 47; John 19:25). As Jesus was dying, he asked John, the “disciple he loved,” to take care of Mary as his own mother (John 19:26‑27). After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Mary was apparently a member of the believing community; she is listed among those who were praying together when the Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:14).

God chose Mary to bring his Son, the Savior, into the world. For all Christians, she is a model of humble and obedient submission to God’s will.

Learn more about the Illustrated Study Bible

Graduation is an exciting time, but it can also be a bit scary as we move from one stage of life into the next. Whether graduating from 8th grade, high school, college, or beyond, a Bible can be the perfect gift. Give your loved one the gift of comfort, hope, encouragement, and direction as they begin this new journey. Here are some ideas:

8th Grade Graduate
Inspire Bibles are single-column, wide-margin Bibles designed for creative engagement in God’s Word. They include hundreds of verse line-art illustrations to color and reflect on while reading. The original Inspire Bible, the Inspire PRAISE Bible, and the Inspire PRAYER Bible are all available in large print, and a giant print edition of the Inspire PRAYER Bible recently released.

The Teen Life Application Study Bible provides direction and understanding for readers navigating their teen years. With features and notes created to address the challenges teens face, it helps them understand and apply God’s Word to all areas of their lives and encounter God in an authentic way.

High School Graduate
The Life Application Study Bible takes readers beyond knowing the Bible to living it out. Filled with over 10,000 notes and features, it is one of the most comprehensive and most beloved study Bibles. It is the perfect companion to help loved one stay grounded in God’s Word as they head off to college or into the work world.

Streetlights New Testament combines print and audio to engage youth and young adults in God’s Word in a way that is comfortable for them. It is a visually compelling, easy-to-understand New Testament portion that is easy to throw into a backpack for reading on the go.

HelpFinder Bible has one of the most extensive topical indexes to help readers quickly find answers in Scripture to the questions and circumstances surrounding them. As your loved one is preparing to enter a new environment, this Bible can help them find God’s truth at their point of need.

College and Higher Education Graduate
The Illustrated Study Bible is one of the most beautiful Bibles on the market. It gives readers an entirely new visual study experience. Hundreds of information-rich windows to the Bible world instantly communicate foundational truths and complex information in an understandable way.

The Filament Bible Collection is a revolutionary combination of print + digital. The beautiful, uninterrupted Bible reading experience is enhanced by scanning the page number, giving access to study, devotional, video, and worship music resources curated to what you are reading.

NLT Study Bible is our flagship study Bible. Filled with thousands of notes, articles, and more from fifty of the world’s leading Bible scholars, this Bible will take you deeper into God’s Word and help you better understand the world of the Bible.

Art of Life Bible weaves the beautiful NLT text into a rich tapestry of artwork, illustrating many living things mentioned in Scripture—people, plants, and animals. Captions highlighting their significance and the wide-margin design offer readers a unique way to meditate on Scripture by focusing on God’s creation.

Seminary Graduate
Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience takes away the distraction of chapter and verse numbers for an enjoyable reading experience. It allows readers to engage with the Bible in the original literary formats, such as letters, poetry, and history, without being bogged down in unintended breaks in the flow of the narrative.

Cornerstone Biblical Commentary is a great way to help a new pastor or ministry leader build a trusted library. Comprised of 12 volumes for the Old Testament and 8 for the New Testament, this set will equip pastors and Christian leaders with exegetical and theological knowledge to better understand and apply God’s Word by presenting the message of each passage as well as an overview of other issues surrounding the text.

Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary is a must-have for any pastor, teacher, or person who wants to go deeper in studying God’s Word. The complete 16-volume set includes both the NLT and NASB translations of the Bible, verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application.

Most of us have a woman in our life who has given us support and been a listening ear and encourager. She’s someone who understands us and sees the best in us. It might be a mom, but it also might be a grandma, an aunt, a friend, a mentor, or a teacher. Mother’s Day is a time to thank those women and let them know how much they mean to us. A Bible is a wonderful way to say, “I love you.” It can offer encouragement and hope. It can be a treasured gift to pass down from generation to generation sharing what God is doing and has done in the lives of those who mean so much to us. Our Bible team wants to share a few ideas with you for this Mother’s Day:

The THRIVE Devotional Bible for Women is for every woman who wants to know God more deeply. God’s design for His children is that they live flourishing, fulfilling, joy-filled lives in Christ. This Bible is available in a standard edition and also in a wide-margin edition with lots of room for notes, art, prayers, and more.

The Life Application Study Bible takes readers beyond knowing the Bible to living it out. Filled with over 10,000 notes and features, it is one of the most comprehensive and most beloved study Bibles in the world.

Inspire Bibles are single-column, wide-margin Bibles designed for creative engagement with God’s Word. They include hundreds of line-art illustrations of Bible verses to color and reflect on while reading. The original Inspire Bible, Inspire PRAISE Bible, and Inspire PRAYER Bible are available in large print, and a giant-print Inspire PRAYER Bible is releasing this month.

The Illustrated Study Bible is one of the most beautiful Bibles on the market. It gives readers an entirely new visual study experience. Hundreds of information-rich windows to the world of the Bible communicate foundational truths and complex information in an understandable way.

The Filament Bible Collection is a revolutionary combination of print + digital. The beautiful, uninterrupted Bible reading experience is enhanced by scanning a small symbol on each page that gives you access to study, devotional, video, and worship resources curated to what you are reading.

The Art of Life Bible is a beautiful way to reflect on God as creator. It weaves the beautiful NLT text into a rich tapestry of artwork illustrating many living things mentioned in Scripture—people, plants, and animals. Featuring 450 original hand-drawn illustrations in a unique style this Bible encourages contemplation and visual interaction with the Word.

This next one might seem out of box, but the Hands-On Bible for kids might be the perfect gift for a mom or grandma who is looking for a way to come together with her family in God’s Word. With questions designed to get conversations started, activities, crafts, and games for the whole family to enjoy, it’s a gift to connect with God and each other through His Word.

Article from the Illustrated Study Bible

“It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.” John 19:31, NLT

At the beginning of John’s Gospel, John the Baptist introduced Jesus by calling him the “Lamb of God” (1:29, 36). This odd phrase might refer to the sacrificial lamb that was killed daily in the Temple (Exod 29:38‑46) or to the sacrificial lamb of Isa 53:7 (cp. Acts 8:32‑35; Rev 5:5‑14). Both of these sacrifices spoke of rescue and forgiveness from sin.

However, this was not all that John had in mind. John presented Jesus as the Passover lamb whose death marks the central event of the Passover season (see Exod 12:46; Luke 22:7; 1 Cor 5:7). In the first century, Jews made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem each spring to celebrate the Passover and to reread the story of the Exodus (see Exod 12–15). When Israel was being rescued from Egypt, the blood of a lamb was sprinkled on the doorposts of each Jewish home in Egypt and saved those inside from death (Exod 12). Jews who came to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover needed to supply a perfect young lamb for sacrifice. The animal could not be diseased or have broken bones.

Jesus used his final Passover meal to show that his sacrificial death would give new meaning to the festival (Mark 14:17‑31). In John, the cross became an altar where Christ, the Passover lamb, was slain. Jesus’ legs were not broken (John 19:33), fulfilling a Passover rule (19:36; Exod 12:46). Blood ran freely from his wound (John 19:34), showing that his life was being exchanged for others. Just as a lamb died to save the lives of Jewish families at the Passover in Egypt, so, too, the death of the Son of God on the cross serves to bring salvation to the world.

Learn more about the Illustrated Study Bible

“Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” Hebrews 11:1-3, NLT

Article from the Illustrated Study Bible

Hebrews 11 is one of the most extensive essays on faith in the NT and one of the most loved sections of Scripture, yet misconceptions about faith abound. Some see faith as meaning any form of spirituality (“he is a
person of faith”). Others understand it as a resolute belief that something good is going to happen to them, a ticket to health and wealth. Still others think that faith is a blind leap against known facts. None of these constitutes biblical faith.

Instead, faith involves confident action in response to what God has made known (11:1-3). As seen in the examples listed in ch 11, faith comes into play in a variety of life’s circumstances. The results of faith also are various. Some people get rescued, achieve success in life, and get some of what God has promised in their lifetimes.

Others get mocked, beaten, tortured, put in prison, and killed. Faith is sometimes rewarded sooner and sometimes later, but people of faith anticipate the rewards because of their confidence in God’s character.

What does it mean to live by faith? It means that, in our various circumstances, we live out our belief “that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (11:6). Those who live by faith take confident action based on what God has revealed about his character, seeking to do his will in all things.

Look inside the Illustrated Study Bible

Article from the Illustrated Study Bible

The book of Acts clearly highlights the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Before the coming of the Spirit, Jesus spoke of the Spirit’s influence on the growth of the church (1:8; see John 14:15‑17, 26; 15:26; 16:7‑15). The Spirit’s guidance was clear in the selection of Spirit- filled leaders to care for the needs of the Hellenistic widows (Acts 6:1‑7) and in the appointing of Barnabas and Saul for missionary service (13:1‑5).

When the first church council met to consider the membership of Gentiles in the church, those present followed the Spirit’s direction (15:28). Christian workers such as Stephen and Philip were filled with the Spirit and preached by his power (6:1–8:40), and Paul’s ministry was charged with the Spirit’s energy from the beginning (9:17).

In Acts, the growth, development, and expansion of the church took place entirely under the guidance and power of the Spirit (e.g., 2:4, 41‑47; 4:31; 5:32; 8:15, 17, 29; 9:31). Because of the prominence of the Spirit’s work in Acts, the book has often been called “the Acts of the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit works in many ways. He gives and restores life (Gen 2:7; Ps 104:24‑30; Ezek 37:1‑14; Joel 2:28‑32; Rom 8:9‑11). He calls and commissions workers for the service of Christ (Acts 13:2; 20:28) and guides God’s servants where and when he wants, to do as he desires (8:29; 9:15; 10:19‑20; 11:12; 16:6; 1 Cor 2:13; 1 Pet 1:12). He inspired the writing of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16‑17; 2 Pet 1:20‑21), instructing the church in Christ’s message (John 14:26; 1 Cor 12:3). He bears witness to the power of the Good News in signs and wonders (Acts 14:3; Heb 2:4), and teaches the truths of the Bible to God’s people (Acts 1:16; Heb 9:8; 10:15‑17; 1 Pet 1:11‑12). He bears witness to Jesus and brings him glory (John 15:26; 16:14). He convicts people of their sinfulness and need for the Good News (John 16:8) and warns people against hardening their hearts (Heb 3:7‑11, 15). He bestows gifts upon God’s people (1 Cor 12:4‑11), and he energizes and equips them to share the Good News, serve the Lord, and work for the Kingdom of God.

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