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NASB | Ephesians 5:5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 5:5 For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person--for that one is [in effect] an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God [for such a person places a higher value on something other than God]. |
Bible Question: Isn't it a little ironic that the Bible is the most shoplifted book in America? Do these people think they will get any closer to our Beloved God? I am distraught with emotions toward anybody that could do this. I know that if a person steals a bible, however believes in Our One True God, they will be forgiven. The problem is; Our God is a Merciful God, but can God be pushed too far? |
Bible Answer: Greetings; This is a very interesting question. My first thought was, does anyone "own" God's word anyway? The Bible was freely given; how can I say that I "own" my Bible? Furthermore, as an American, wealthy in relation to most of the world, am I too attached to worldy things? My Bible is a book made of paper and ink; it doesn't hold God's word captive. If this physical posession disappears, I can easily get another. In America, I could probably walk into any church and ask for a Bible and get one free. So part of me says that I should be grateful that the thief has spread one particular manifestation of God's word beyond me. And yet, as I consider the NLT (great for reading aloud) on my desk, I have to assume that it would not exist if it were not financially feasible to produce it. If bookstores can't afford to stock it, the publisher to publish it, the translators to translate it, it won't be produced. Theft interferes with that orderly process. So I have no answer, but thanks for giving me something more worthy than football to think about before going to church. ;-) Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |