What does the Bible say about empty?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Matthew 6:7

  In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.

• 1 John 2:1-29

  [1] My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. [2] And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. [3] This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. [4] One who says, "I know him," and doesn't keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn't in him. [5] But whoever keeps his word, God's love has most assuredly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him: [6] he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked. [7] Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. [8] Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines. [9] He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now. [10] He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. [11] But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. [12] I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. [13] I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father. [14] I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one. [15] Don't love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love isn't in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn't the Father's, but is the world's. [17] The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever. [18] Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the end times. [19] They went out from us, but they didn't belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. [20] You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know the truth. [21] I have not written to you because you don't know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. [22] Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. [23] Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn't have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. [24] Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. [25] This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. [26] These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. [27] As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him. [28] Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. [29] If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.

• 2 Corinthians 8:9

  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.

• John 16:13

  However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.

• James 1:1-27

  [1] James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings. [2] Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. [4] Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. [5] But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. [6] But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. [7] For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. [8] He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. [9] But let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his high position; [10] and the rich, in that he is made humble, because like the flower in the grass, he will pass away. [11] For the sun arises with the scorching wind, and withers the grass, and the flower in it falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in his pursuits. [12] Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. [13] Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. [14] But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. [15] Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. [16] Don't be deceived, my beloved brothers. [17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. [18] Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. [19] So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; [20] for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God. [21] Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. [22] But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. [23] For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror; [24] for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. [25] But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. [26] If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless. [27] Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

• John 3:16-17

  [16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. [17] For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

• Colossians 1:1-29

  [1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, [2] to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, [4] having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints, [5] because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel, [6] which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; [7] even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, [8] who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. [9] For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don't cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; [11] strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy; [12] giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; [13] who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love; [14] in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins; [15] who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. [18] He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. [19] For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; [20] and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. [21] You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, [22] yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and blameless before him, [23] if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant. [24] Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the assembly; [25] of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God, [26] the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints, [27] to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory; [28] whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus; [29] for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

• John 3:1-36

  [1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] The same came to him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him." [3] Jesus answered him, "Most assuredly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can't see the Kingdom of God." [4] Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" [5] Jesus answered, "Most assuredly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can't enter into the Kingdom of God! [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Don't marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born anew.' [8] The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." [9] Nicodemus answered him, "How can these things be?" [10] Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don't understand these things? [11] Most assuredly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don't receive our witness. [12] If I told you earthly things and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13] No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. [14] As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. [16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. [17] For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. [18] He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. [19] This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. [21] But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God." [22] After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized. [23] John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. [24] For John was not yet thrown into prison. [25] There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with some Jews about purification. [26] They came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him." [27] John answered, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven. [28] You yourselves testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before him.' [29] He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full. [30] He must increase, but I must decrease. [31] He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth, and speaks of the Earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. [32] What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness. [33] He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. [34] For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. [35] The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. [36] One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won't see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

• John 3:16

  For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

• John 11:1-57

  [1] Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. [2] It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother, Lazarus, was sick. [3] The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, "Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick." [4] But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God's Son may be glorified by it." [5] Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. [6] When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days in the place where he was. [7] Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let's go into Judea again." [8] The disciples told him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?" [9] Jesus answered, "Aren't there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn't stumble, because he sees the light of this world. [10] But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn't in him." [11] He said these things, and after that, he said to them, "Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep." [12] The disciples therefore said, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." [13] Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep. [14] So Jesus said to them plainly then, "Lazarus is dead. [15] I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let's go to him." [16] Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go also, that we may die with him." [17] So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already. [18] Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away. [19] Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. [20] Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house. [21] Therefore Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died. [22] Even now I know that, whatever you ask of God, God will give you." [23] Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." [24] Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." [25] Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he die, yet will he live. [26] Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" [27] She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God's Son, he who comes into the world." [28] When she had said this, she went away, and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, "The Teacher is here, and is calling you." [29] When she heard this, she arose quickly, and went to him. [30] Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met him. [31] Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there." [32] Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn't have died." [33] When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, [34] and said, "Where have you laid him?" They told him, "Lord, come and see." [35] Jesus wept. [36] The Jews therefore said, "See how much affection he had for him!" [37] Some of them said, "Couldn't this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?" [38] Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. [39] Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." [40] Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see God's glory?" [41] So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, "Father, I thank you that you listened to me. [42] I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude that stands around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me." [43] When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" [44] He who was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Free him, and let him go." [45] Therefore many of the Jews, who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did, believed in him. [46] But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done. [47] The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, "What are we doing? For this man does many signs. [48] If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation." [49] But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, [50] nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish." [51] Now he didn't say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, [52] and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. [53] So from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death. [54] Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with his disciples. [55] Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. [56] Then they sought for Jesus and spoke one with another, as they stood in the temple, "What do you think--that he isn't coming to the feast at all?" [57] Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had commanded that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, that they might seize him.

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