The Bible Unpacked

Pocket Edition

Key Bible teachings

for seekers of truth

Featuring the CEV, GNT and NET translations

Paul Mallison

The work of Paul Mallison in The Bible Unpacked is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The Scripture translations used are not licensed under a Creative Commons license and have all rights reserved (cf. copyright notices below).

The material may be freely reproduced and distributed for non-commercial purposes. Permission must be obtained from the copyright owners of the Scripture translations before the material may be used commercially or freely distributed with changes to how verses of Scripture are used.

Scripture quotations marked “CEV” are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked “GNT” are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version- Second Edition Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.

Quotations designated “NET” are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/ All rights reserved. Scripture quoted by permission.

This copy was made on:  9-Nov-20.

Contents

A Quick Word

Tips on Using This Resource

Part I

What to Know

1. What God Is Like

2. God’s Rule and Sin

3. Jesus Christ (A): His Mission

4. Jesus Christ (B): Significance

5. God and His Own People

Part II

What to Do

6. Relating to God (A): Starting

7. Relating to God (B): General

8. Church Life

9. Relating to People

10. Persevering

All Headings

The Seven Editions

A Quick Word

Christians believe that the Bible is God’s word. As such it reveals what God is like, including how he relates to people. Additionally it reveals his instructions for people – largely how he wants us to relate to him and to others.

This booklet gives a brief overview of the Bible’s teachings. The booklet is largely made up of Bible verses. Before the verses are headings, which reflect what the verses say. The verses are sometimes followed by a comment.

Some verses have a brief introduction, in brackets. These state who is speaking. Apart from God and Jesus Christ, the main speakers are:

- David – who wrote many prayers; and

- Paul – who wrote letters to believers.

This booklet is the second shortest of the seven editions of The Bible Unpacked. For more details and free downloads, go to:

www.thebibleunpacked.net.

Tips on Using This Resource

There are numerous hyperlinks throughout the text. Bear in mind the following:

- Any colored heading is a hyperlink, not just blue headings.

- Each heading in the text is a hyperlink to the corresponding heading in a list of all the headings – which are in turn hyperlinks back to the headings. In the online versions, these lists of headings occur at the bottom of each page in the main text. In the ebook versions, the lists in the All Headings section are used.

- The All Headings Lists section contains lists of headings. These are hyperlinks to the headings in the text.

Part I

What to Know

1.

What God Is Like

2.

God’s Rule and Sin

3.

Jesus Christ (A): His Mission

4.

Jesus Christ (B): Significance

5.

God and His Own People

1.

What God Is Like

God is everywhere

[God:] I am everywhere— both near and far, 24in heaven and on earth.   Jeremiah 23:23-24a  CEV

God is a spiritual being and is present everywhere.

God can do anything

Nothing is impossible for God!   Luke 1:37  CEV

God knows everything

God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.   1 John 3:20b  CEV

God is holy and acts justly

[Believers, to God:] You alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship you, because your just actions are seen by all.   Revelation 15:4b  GNT

God is holy – perfect in all he is and does.

God is merciful and loving

[God:] I am merciful and very patient with my people. I show great love, and I can be trusted.   Exodus 34:6b  CEV

2.

God’s Rule and Sin

God rules justly over all people

You [God] are the ruler of all nations, and you do what is right and fair.   Revelation 15:3  CEV

All things belong to God, as he made everything

The heavens and the earth belong to you. And so does the world with all its people because you created them 12and everything else   Psalms 89:11-12a  CEV

Breaking God’s law is sin

Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God’s law, because sin is a breaking of the law.   1 John 3:4b  GNT

All people have sinned

All of us have sinned …   Romans 3:23a  CEV

Sin leads to the penalty of death forever

For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 6:23a  NET

God’s justice means that unforgiven sin must be punished with everlasting death or destruction.

3.

Jesus Christ (A): His Mission

God sent Jesus Christ to save the world

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son [Jesus], so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through him.   John 3:16-17  NET

God sent Jesus Christ to take away sins

You know that Christ came to take away sins.   1 John 3:5a  CEV

Jesus Christ died for us

But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us …   Romans 5:8a  CEV

Jesus Christ gave his life in place of our lives to pay the penalty for our sin. He did this so that we would not have to pay it ourselves with eternal death. Instead we can have eternal life. This is spiritual life which extends beyond physical death.

God raised Jesus Christ back to life

But God raised him from death.   Acts 2:24a  GNT

4.

Jesus Christ (B): Significance

By Jesus’ death our sins can be forgiven

For by the blood of Christ [his death] we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.   Ephesians 1:7b  GNT

By Jesus’ death we can have peace with God

[Paul, to believers:]  But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent.   Colossians 1:22  CEV

We can only be saved through Jesus Christ

Salvation is to be found through him alone …   Acts 4:12a  GNT

God has made Jesus Christ Lord of all

Jesus Christ … is Lord of all.   Acts 10:36b  GNT

Jesus Christ will return and judge all people

For the Son of Man [Jesus] will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.   Matthew 16:27  NET

5.

God and His Own People

God is always with his people

[God:] I will always be with you; I will never abandon you.   Joshua 1:5b  GNT

God is loving and faithful to his people

His love for us is strong and his faithfulness is eternal. Praise the Lord!   Psalms 117:2  GNT

God gives his people his Holy Spirit

God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.   Romans 5:5b  CEV

God has given his Holy Spirit to believers, to live in them and help them.

God fills his people with joy and peace

May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him …   Romans 15:13a  GNT

God cares for his people

God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.   1 Peter 5:7  CEV

Part II

What to Do

6.

Relating to God (A): Starting

7.

Relating to God (B): General

8.

Church Life

9.

Relating to People

10.

Persevering

6.

Relating to God (A): Starting

Turn from sin to God and believe in Jesus

[Paul:] I gave solemn warning that they should turn from their sins to God and believe in our Lord Jesus.   Acts 20:21b  GNT

Believe in Jesus for forgiveness of sins

All the prophets spoke about him, saying that all who believe in him will have their sins forgiven through the power of his name.   Acts 10:43  GNT

We need to believe Jesus Christ to be the means of forgiveness of sins, with what he achieved by his death. As such, we are to trust in him for God’s forgiveness of our own sins.

Believing in Jesus brings eternal life

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.   John 3:16  NET

We can be sure of God’s forgiveness

But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. 1 John 1:9  CEV

7.

Relating to God (B): General

Love God with all your heart

Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 38This is the first and most important commandment.   Matthew 22:37-38  CEV

Respect and obey God

Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about.   Ecclesiastes 12:13b  CEV

Trust in God

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.   Proverbs 3:5  NET

Pray to God, as a caring father

So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, …   Matthew 6:9a  NET

Give thanks to God

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.   Ephesians 5:20  GNT

8.

Church Life

Meet together with other believers

Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.   Hebrews 10:25  GNT

Help each other

Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.   Galatians 6:2  NET

By helping each other in need, we effectively obey Jesus Christ’s teachings.

Worship God together

Ezra [a priest] praised the great LORD God, and the people shouted, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped the LORD.   Nehemiah 8:6  CEV

Do God’s work together

[Paul:]  These women have worked together with me and with Clement and with the others in spreading the good news.   Philippians 4:3b  CEV

9.

Relating to People

Love others as you love yourself

Love others as much as you love yourself. Matthew 22:39b  CEV

Act according to what love involves

Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. 6Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. 7Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.   1 Corinthians 13:4-7  CEV

Act justly and show mercy

See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.   Micah 6:8b  CEV

Provide for the needy

John told them, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn’t have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”   Luke 3:11 CEV

Tell others the good news about Jesus Christ

Then Philip began to speak … he told him the Good News about Jesus.   Acts 8:35  GNT

10.

Persevering

Keep following Jesus Christ’s teaching

[Jesus:]  If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples.   John 8:31b  CEV

Keep reading God’s word

He is to keep this book [of God’s teachings] near him and read from it all his life …   Deuteronomy 17:19a  GNT

Live by the Holy Spirit

… live according to the Spirit, and not according to human nature.   Romans 8:4  GNT

We are to live by the Holy Spirit, who God has given us. This involves: focussing on what the Spirit wants; paying attention to his promptings; and relying on his power.

Trust in God during hard times

[David, to God:]  When they plot together against me, they figure out how they can take my life. 14But I trust in you, O LORD! I declare, “You are my God!” 15You determine my destiny! Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.   Psalms 31:13b-15  NET

All Headings

Click on a chapter heading below to go to a list of its subheadings. From there, click on a subheading or any other heading to go to where it occurs in the text.

1. What to Know

1. What God Is Like

- God is everywhere

- God can do anything

- God knows everything

- God is holy and acts justly

- God is merciful and loving

2. God’s Rule and Sin

- God rules justly over all people

- All things belong to God, as he made everything

- Breaking God’s law is sin

- All people have sinned

- Sin leads to the penalty of death forever

3. Jesus Christ (A): His Mission

- God sent his only Son to save the world

- God sent Jesus Christ to take away sins

- Jesus Christ died for us

- God raised Jesus Christ back to life

4. Jesus Christ (B): Significance

- By Jesus’ death our sins can be forgiven

- By Jesus’ death we can have peace with God

- We can only be saved through Jesus Christ

- God has made Jesus Christ Lord of all

- Jesus Christ will return and judge all people

5. God and His Own People

- God is always with his people

- God is loving and faithful to his people

- God gives his people his Holy Spirit

- God fills his people with joy and peace

- God cares for his people

2. What to Do

6. Relating to God (A): Starting

- Turn from sin to God and believe in Jesus

- Believe in Jesus for forgiveness of sins

- Believing in Jesus brings eternal life

- We can be sure of God’s forgiveness

7. Relating to God (B): General

- Love God with all your heart

- Respect and obey God

- Trust in God

- Pray to God, as a caring father

- Give thanks to God

8. Church Life

- Meet together with other believers

- Help each other

- Worship God together

- Do God’s work together

9. Relating to People

- Love others as you love yourself

- Act according to what love involves

- Act justly and show mercy

- Provide for the needy

- Tell others the good news about Jesus Christ

10. Persevering

- Keep following Jesus Christ’s teaching

- Keep reading God’s word

- Live by the Holy Spirit

- Trust in God during hard times

The Seven Editions

There are seven editions of The Bible Unpacked, aiming to address the needs of non-Christians through to mature Christians, from teenagers to adults. There are also studies based on four of the editions. The studies contain the same text, but include questions at the end of each section.

Two-Minute Edition

Key Bible teachings for everyone

For giving to non-Christians. (Credit card size for keeping in wallet or purse.)

Pocket Edition

Key Bible teachings for seekers of truth

Largely for giving to inquiring non-Christians or to young new Christians.

Concise Edition

Key Bible teachings for new believers

For either new or young Christians. Also for giving to non-Christian friends.

Has Bible study questions, ideal for new or young believers.

Foundations Edition

The Bible’s teaching condensed for young believers

For newer Christians, wanting a firm grounding in their faith.

Has Bible study questions, ideal for newer believers.

Intermediate Edition

The Bible’s teaching summarized for growing believers

For Christians wanting to develop a sound understanding of the faith. Very suitable for use as a study or a devotional tool.

Has Bible study questions. Excellent for Bible study groups.

Comprehensive Edition

The Bible’s teaching compiled for established believers

For Christians wanting a more comprehensive knowledge of the faith. Useful resource for preparing talks.

Has Bible study questions. Ideal for detailed study of topics.

In-Depth Edition

The Bible’s teaching expounded for Bible students

For pastors, church leaders, Bible students and all who want a deep understanding of the faith.

Very suitable for use as a study or a devotional tool.

For more information on The Bible Unpacked, go to:  www.thebibleunpacked.net

Table of Contents

Contents

A Quick Word

Tips on Using This Resource

Part I. What to Know

1. What God Is Like

2. God’s Rule and Sin

3. Jesus Christ (A): His Mission

4. Jesus Christ (B): Significance

5. God and His Own People

Part II. What to Do

6. Relating to God (A): Starting

7. Relating to God (B): General

8. Church Life

9. Relating to People

10. Persevering

All Headings

The Seven Editions