Curated semantic-search results from the Bible and early Jewish and Christian writings.
These passages are drawn from a current, full-corpus deep search.
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1/10 · weak
20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble. 22 Keep your belief about such matters between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.
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16 “We, O Antiochus, who are persuaded that we live under a divine law, consider no compulsion to be so forcible as obedience to that law. (WEB) 17 Therefore we consider that we ought not to transgress the law in any way. (WEB) 18 Indeed, were our law (as you suppose) not truly divine, and if we wrongly think it divine, we would have no right even in that case to destroy our sense of religion. (WEB) 19 Don’t think that eating unclean meat is a trifling offense. (WEB) 20 For transgression of the law, whether in small or great matters, is of equal importance; (WEB) 21 for in either case the law is equally slighted. (WEB) 22 But you deride our philosophy, as though we lived in it irrationally. (WEB) 23 Yet it instructs us in self-control, so that we are superior to all pleasures and lusts; and it trains us in courage, so that we cheerfully undergo every grievance. (WEB) 24 It instructs us in justice, so that in all our dealings we give what is due. It teaches us piety, so that we properly worship the one and only God. (WEB) 25 That is why we don’t eat the unclean; for believing that the law was established by God, we are convinced that the Creator of the world, in giving his laws, sympathizes with our nature. (WEB) 26 Those things which are suitable for our souls, he has directed us to eat; but those which are not, he has forbidden. (WEB)
2/10 · weak
22 Don’t show partiality, discrediting your soul. Don’t revere any man to your falling. (WEB) 23 Don’t refrain from speaking when it is for safety. Don’t hide your wisdom for the sake of seeming fair. (WEB) 24 For wisdom will be known by speech, and instruction by the word of the tongue. (WEB) 25 Don’t speak against the truth and be shamed for your ignorance. (WEB) 26 Don’t be ashamed to confess your sins. Don’t fight the river’s current. (WEB) 27 Don’t lay yourself down for a fool to tread upon. Don’t be partial to one who is mighty. (WEB) 28 Strive for the truth to death, and the Lord God will fight for you. (WEB)
2/10 · weak
20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt, 21 but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
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20 This circumstance, then, is by no means an objection, that some who have weak reasoning are governed by their emotions, (WEB) 21 since what person, walking religiously by the whole rule of philosophy, and believing in God, (WEB) 22 and knowing that it is a blessed thing to endure all kinds of hardships for virtue, would not, for the sake of religion, master his emotion? (WEB)
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18 For it would be irrational, if having lived up to old age in all truth, and having scrupulously guarded our character for it, we would now turn back (WEB) 19 and ourselves become a pattern of impiety to the young, as being an example of eating pollution. (WEB)
1/10 · weak
1 As I am going to demonstrate a most philosophical proposition, namely, that religious reasoning is absolute master of the emotions. I would willingly advise you to give the utmost heed to philosophy. (WEB) 2 For reason is necessary to everyone as a step to science. In addition, it embraces the praise of self-control, the highest virtue. (WEB) 3 If, then, reasoning appears to hold the mastery over the emotions which stand in the way of temperance, such as gluttony and lust, (WEB) 4 it surely also and manifestly rules over the affections which are contrary to justice, such as malice, and of those which are hindrances to courage, such as wrath, pain, and fear. (WEB) 5 Perhaps some may ask, “How is it, then, that reasoning, if it rules the emotions, isn’t also master of forgetfulness and ignorance?” They attempt a ridiculous argument. (WEB) 6 For reasoning does not rule over its own emotions, but over those that are contrary to justice, courage, temperance, and self-control; and yet over these, so as to withstand, without destroying them. (WEB) 7 I might prove to you from many other considerations, that religious reasoning is sole master of the emotions; (WEB) 8 but I will prove it with the greatest force from the fortitude of Eleazar, and seven kindred, and their mother, who suffered death in defense of virtue. (WEB) 9 For all these, treating pains with contempt even to death, by this contempt, demonstrated that reasoning has command over the emotion… (WEB)
2/10 · weak
8 It seems senseless not to enjoy what is pleasant, yet not disgraceful; and from notions of sinfulness, to reject the gifts of nature. (WEB) 9 You will be acting, I think, still more senselessly, if you follow vain conceits about the truth. (WEB) 10 You will, moreover, be despising me to your own punishment. (WEB) 11 Won’t you awake from your trifling philosophy, give up the folly of your notions, and regaining understanding worthy of your age, search into the truth of an expedient course? (WEB)
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2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
2/10 · weak
10 Be steadfast in your understanding. Let your speech be consistent. (WEB)