Listen To the Bible! | King James Audio Bible | KJV | King James Version
Jesus family and friends have worried in earlier verses about Jesus’ sanity. His friends have tried to seize him, to save him from himself. Now his mother and his brothers come to find him. It seems natural to assume they are still very concerned, and that there has been what they perceive to be a breach in the family, which may be linked in some way to Jesus’ move to Capernaum [ … ]
The crowd listening to Jesus know how to ‘read’ nature in order to predict the weather. They are accustomed to this level of being and recognize the signs there. The crowds’ prescience stops at this level, however, the level of practical, everyday matters, and does not extend to a deeper contemplation and understanding of the spiritual reality with which Christ confronts them [ … ]
Saint Augustine sets before us the great pattern of God’s dealings with humanity: first the time of promise, then the time of fulfilment. The prophets spoke God’s pledges across the centuries, and John the Baptist concluded this long preparation. With Christ’s coming, the promises enter their moment of completion. God has not changed, but the stage of his plan has moved from expectation to realisation [ … ]
Saint Pacian continues his reflection on baptism by contrasting two forms of human existence: that of the earthly Adam and that of the heavenly Christ. Humanity inherits from Adam mortality and corruption, but through Christ, the ‘second man’ who came from heaven, believers are promised life that death cannot extinguish. Pacian echoes the words of Jesus in John 11:25: ‘Whoever believes in me, even if he die, shall live.’ Death, therefore, becomes not an end but a sleep from which the faithful are awakened in Christ [ … ]
Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, meditates on the mystery of the Eucharist. He urges the newly baptized—and indeed all the faithful—not merely to look at the external appearances of bread and wine, but to trust in the transformative power of Jesus Christ’s own words, which effect what they declare. Saint Ambrose’s reflections, drawn from Scripture and theological reasoning, serve as a foundational testimony to the Church’s belief in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist [ … ]
The passage, Matthew 19:16-22, recounts the encounter between Jesus and a wealthy young man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. In response, Jesus told him to keep the commandments, to which the young man replied that he had done so since his youth. Jesus then told him to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him. The young man went away sorrowful because he had great possessions, which he finds himself unable to relinquish [ … ]
In this moment, Jesus’ prayer is a beautiful example of submission to God’s will. Despite his agony, Jesus chose to surrender his own desires and accept God’s plan for his life. Jesus knew that this was the only way to bring salvation to the world. This act of selflessness is a testament to Jesus’ deep love for humanity [ … ]
Jesus taught us that family is not only about blood relationships but also about treating others with love and respect. He said that anyone who does the will of God is like family to him. So, as followers of Jesus, we should honour our parents and all those who have cared for us, showing them love, gratitude, and forgiveness [ … ]
Saint Stephen was a Christian saint and martyr who is venerated as the protomartyr, or first martyr, of Christianity. He is mentioned in the New Testament as one of the seven deacons appointed by the early Christian community in Jerusalem to serve the poor and distribute food and other necessities. According to the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and he was known for his powerful preaching and miraculous deeds [ … ]
Psalm 74 is a plea for divine intervention during a period of devastation and spiritual turmoil. The psalmist expresses deep distress over the destruction of sacred places and the apparent abandonment of God’s people. This psalm is a call for God’s assistance and a reflection on the covenant between God and God’s chosen people [ … ]
Psalm 58 explores themes of justice, righteousness, and the repercussions of wickedness. This psalm is an impassioned plea for divine intervention or retribution, which may be perceived as a call for vengeance.
The paralyzed man would not have been able to come to Jesus without the help of his friends. It is his friends’ faith, and their initiative and bravery, as well as his own that work together to find a way to come to Jesus. Jesus is touched by their faith and their friendship. We may think now as well about the help we give others and the help which we receive from others, in matters of faith and as we confess our sins and seek spiritual healing. Our sins can be like a form of spiritual paralysis, in which condition we may rely a great deal on our friends to bring us back to Jesus [ … ]
Jesus has fed the multitude, the multiplication of loaves and fish prefiguring the Eucharist, through which all share, in community, the body and blood of Christ, becoming one. Now Jesus sends his disciples ahead of him, to cross the Sea of Galilee to the pagan regions on the other side, where the evangelizing mission will continue. There is symbolism here, as the early Christians are called upon by Matthew’s Gospel to make transition from the old observances to the new Law of Jesus’ love. Jesus meanwhile takes time alone to pray [ … ]
On the Sabbath, the day of rest and prayer, the Jews would gather in synagogues to recite the Shema and the eighteen blessings, which would be followed by readings from the Book of the Law, the Pentateuch, and from the Prophets. In today’s Gospel verses, Jesus has returned home to Nazareth, where, in the synagogue, he volunteers to read [ … ]
Jesus’ public ministry begins as John the Baptist’s concludes, John being imprisoned by Herod for speaking out against the immorality of Herod’s sexual relationship with his brother’s wife. Mission comes with danger, and John the Baptist was not afraid. Nor now is Jesus. Indeed, Jesus begins to preach with the very same words with which John had warned the people to beware of their sins: Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [ … ]
Jesus teaches us to be bold and to have faith and confidence in the light of persecutions. His listeners are told that, when they are accused, the Spirit will be with them, guiding their words such that they become a living testimony to Jesus. The Christians’ accusers will be unable to answer their words then – the force of their witness will be irresistible [ … ]
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the presence of the angel becomes a symbol of divine comfort and support during Jesus’ moment of utmost agony. As Jesus withdrew a stone’s cast away from his disciples and fell on the ground to pray, sweating blood, the world’s sins and crucifixion-horror pressed heavily upon him [ … ]
Today’s parable may seem to us to be very strange. Fired for corruption, for being wasteful with the rich man’s property, the dishonest steward goes on to compound the error with outright criminality, marking down the debts of the rich man’s debtors in order to secure future favours. And Jesus praises him! [ … ]
Many Christians have embraced a more progressive understanding of Jesus, emphasizing his teachings on love, compassion, and service to others as a call to action in addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and racism. This approach to Christianity emphasizes a social gospel, which emphasizes the importance of working for social and economic justice and sees Jesus as a figure who championed the cause of the poor and marginalized [ … ]
Jesus presents to his listeners an ideal of Christian purity, upon which we must act. There is a judgement, and there the sowings of the evil one will be burnt. It is that within us which is with God, with Jesus, which will shine for all eternity [ … ]
Our prayer must be true to God. It is natural to petition God for what we need. It would indeed be arrogant to ‘go it alone’ and not humbly to share with God our needs and to ask Him for help, as if He were not our Father and we His children and creation. We are called by Jesus to acknowledge that all we have, we have through God. And we are called to develop our conversation with God through a life of prayer [ … ]
Jesus has come to break Satan’s hold – on the people of Jesus’ time and for all time. Accused by some of being a servant to Beelzebub, Jesus exposes the error and absurdity of what his accusers are saying. If Satan casts out Satan, then Satan is divided against himself and his house falls – he self-destructs [ … ]
Luke’s Gospel places the calling of the first disciples after the fame of Jesus has already spread across the region. Simon Peter listens to Jesus’ words, then he experiences the miraculous catch of fish, and then he throws himself down before Jesus, acknowledging his sins and placing his life in Jesus’ hands. This is Simon Peter’s call. He gives away everything he has to follow Jesus [ … ]
Christians blend into society—they marry, raise children, dress, eat, and work like others—but they live with a radical spiritual orientation. Their true ‘citizenship is in heaven’ (Philippians 3:20), and they view life on earth as a pilgrimage. This tension between presence and detachment highlights the paradoxical nature of Christian witness: they fully engage with their society while simultaneously transcending its values [ … ]
Saint Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444), Patriarch of Alexandria and central figure in early Christological controversies, here articulates a robust theology of redemption grounded in the Incarnation and its sacramental outworking. Writing in the context of his conflict with Nestorius and the doctrinal developments that led to the Council of Ephesus (431), Cyril is concerned above all with affirming the unity of Christ’s divine and human natures, and the salvific power of that union. This excerpt reflects his mature theological vision, especially his emphasis on the death of Christ as the decisive means of defeating death and giving life to humanity through participation in his now-glorified body [ … ]
This is the third day of Holy Week. Through these verses of John’s Gospel, Jesus experiences great emotion, great sorrow, as he prepares for his betrayal and passion. He has given everything to Judas. He has washed his feet along with those of the other disciples. He shares an intimate and important meal with him. Judas has been one of the closest with Jesus for three years. Even now he shows compassion and does not name his betrayer to the other disciples. Instead he says: ‘One of you shall betray me.’ [ … ]
In this deeply moving catechesis, St. John Chrysostom leads us into the mystery of Christ’s Passion, focusing our attention on the extraordinary power and significance of his blood. For Chrysostom, this blood is not just a historical detail or a symbol of suffering—it is life itself. It is protection, healing, rebirth, and nourishment. It is the very source from which the Church is born [ … ]
Saint Fulgentius sets the martyrdom of Stephen directly alongside the birth of Christ. The two events are linked, not by time, but by meaning. Christ enters the world in humility; Stephen leaves it in witness. What Christ gives in his incarnation is shown at work in Stephen’s death.
Mark’s Gospel, thought by many to be the earliest written, does not present an account of the birth of Christ. He begins with the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, leading into his baptism by John. Toward the end of the Gospel, when the crucified Christ dies, the centurion standing by him will affirm this, saying: ‘Truly this was the Son of God.’ Throughout this most fast paced of gospels, this is Mark’s message, to give his readers the knowledge that Christ is the Son of God [ … ]
Psalm 3 reads like a personal entry in a diary. The psalmist opens up about the challenges he’s facing and how he discovers resilience through his faith in God. The psalmist finds himself surrounded by difficulties and doubters. Yet, amidst it all, he senses a protective presence from the divine [ … ]
Psalm 148 calls to praise extending from the highest heavens to depths of the earth. This psalm is of the final doxology of the Book of Psalms, which includes Psalms 146 to 150, each beginning and ending with the Hebrew phrase ‘Hallelujah’, translated as ‘Praise ye the LORD’. Structure and content of Psalm 148 delineate a comprehensive cosmology of worship, where every element of creation is summoned to honour God [ … ]
Attributed traditionally to King David, Psalm 91 (Vulgate 90) begins by highlighting safety and security provided to those who dwell in the secret place of God, finding shelter under God’s shadow [ … ]
Tomàs is in trouble. If truth is love and love is truth, then the Church is wrong. A time in seminary…
At the beginning of the first century CE, Alexandria occupied a distinctive position within the Mediterranean world. It was at once a Greek city, an Egyptian city, a Jewish city, and a Roman city. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE and governed successively by the Ptolemies and the Romans, Alexandria became one of the principal centres of commerce, administration, and intellectual life in antiquity. Yet its historical importance rests not merely upon its size or wealth, but upon the kinds of thought that emerged within it [ … ]
Acts 2 records the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter’s address to the people gathered in Jerusalem, and the emergence of the Church as a visible community. The chapter continues themes established in the Gospel of Saint Luke: fulfilment of Scripture, the action of the Holy Spirit, witness concerning Jesus Christ, repentance, and the gathering of God’s people [ … ]
Acts chapter 20 records the latter stages of Paul’s missionary journeys and contains his farewell address to the elders of the church at Ephesus. The chapter combines travel narrative, ecclesial instruction, pastoral exhortation, and preparation for suffering. Luke presents Paul as a missionary, teacher, pastor, and witness whose ministry is shaped by service, endurance, and obedience to the calling of God [ … ]
Acts 7 is among the most profound and dramatic passages in the New Testament. Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, stands before the council and offers not merely a defence of himself, but a sweeping interpretation of the whole history of Israel. His speech traces the movement of God’s covenantal action through Abraham, Joseph, Moses, the tabernacle, and the prophets, culminating in a fierce indictment of those who resisted the Holy Spirit and betrayed Jesus [ … ]
The Priestly Prayer of Jesus concludes the discourse of the Last Supper. Immediately afterwards, Jesus will be arrested, betrayed. Jesus prays to his Father in a very moving way. He offers to the Father the imminent sacrifice of himself, praying that his sacrifice may be acceptable to the Father, that his holy human nature may be glorified. Jesus’ prayer is spoken aloud, so that his disciples and we also may receive his last testament, as Jesus intercedes on our behalf with the Father [ … ]
