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Thematic Selections from the Bible

Refugee and stranger created by BibleSearch.org shown in American Standard Version

Refugee and stranger

The early Christians became refugees in their own countries because of their faith, a sad tradition that never seems to go out of fashion. Even more so since the notion of treating strangers and refugees well supposedly is a core value in most cultures around the World. This selection focuses on what we have in common instead of what separates us, and that God cares for strangers and refugees, something that everybody, especially Christians, never should forget.

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Lev 19:22-37

And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering before Jehovah for his sin which he hath sinned: and the sin which he hath sinned shall be forgiven him.

And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as their uncircumcision: three years shall they be as uncircumcised unto you; it shall not be eaten.

But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, for giving praise unto Jehovah.

And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am Jehovah your God.

Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantments, nor practise augury.

Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am Jehovah.

Profane not thy daughter, to make her a harlot; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am Jehovah.

Turn ye not unto them that have familiar spirits, nor unto the wizards; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am Jehovah your God.

Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and thou shalt fear thy God: I am Jehovah.

And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not do him wrong.

The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God.

Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.

Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

And ye shall observe all my statutes, and all mine ordinances, and do them: I am Jehovah.

Deut 10:1-22

At that time Jehovah said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.

And I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

So I made an ark of acacia wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in my hand.

And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Jehovah spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Jehovah gave them unto me.

And I turned and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Jehovah commanded me.

(And the children of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead.

From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.

At that time Jehovah set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, to stand before Jehovah to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah is his inheritance, according as Jehovah thy God spake unto him.)

And I stayed in the mount, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights: and Jehovah hearkened unto me that time also; Jehovah would not destroy thee.

And Jehovah said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.

And now, Israel, what doth Jehovah thy God require of thee, but to fear Jehovah thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

to keep the commandments of Jehovah, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Behold, unto Jehovah thy God belongeth heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.

Only Jehovah had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day.

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

For Jehovah your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the terrible, who regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.

He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the sojourner, in giving him food and raiment.

Love ye therefore the sojourner; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; him shalt thou serve; and to him shalt thou cleave, and by his name shalt thou swear.

He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now Jehovah thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.

Ps 43:1-5

Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: Oh deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

For thou art the God of my strength; Why hast thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Oh send out thy light and thy truth; Let them lead me: Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, And to thy tabernacles.

Then will I go unto the altar of God, Unto God my exceeding joy; And upon the harp will I praise thee, O God, my God.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; For I shall yet praise him, the help of my countenance, and my God.

Ps 56:1-13

Be merciful unto me, O God; For man would swallow me up: All the day long he fighting oppresseth me.

Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long; For they are many that fight proudly against me.

What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.

In God (I will praise his word), In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; What can flesh do unto me?

All the day long they wrest my words: All their thoughts are against me for evil.

They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, They mark my steps, Even as they have waited for my soul.

Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God.

Thou numberest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle; Are they not in thy book?

Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day that I call: This I know, that God is for me.

In God (I will praise word), In Jehovah (I will praise word),

In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; What can man do unto me?

Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render thank-offerings unto thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death: not my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

Mt 2:1-23

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet,

And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come forth a governor, who shall be shepherd of my people Israel.

Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found bring me word, that I also may come and worship him.

And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

And being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;

and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not.

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child's life.

And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,

and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.

Acts 10:1-48

Now a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian ,

a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.

And he, fastening his eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God.

And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter:

he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side.

And when the angel that spake unto him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

and having rehearsed all things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour:

and he became hungry, and desired to eat: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance;

and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth:

wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven.

And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.

But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean.

And a voice unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.

And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.

Now while Peter was much perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate,

and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, were lodging there.

And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

But arise, and get thee down, and go with them, nothing doubting: for I have sent them.

And Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?

And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee.

So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.

And when it came to pass that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together:

and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean:

wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me.

And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel,

and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side.

Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord.

And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.

The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all.) --

that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom also they slew, hanging him on a tree.

Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest,

not to all the people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before of God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

And he charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained of God the Judge of the living and the dead.

To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word.

And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Rom 10:1-21

Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth.

For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby.

But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:)

or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:

because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:

for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him:

for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!

But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

So belief of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.

But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.

And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.

But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

1Co 13:1-13

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And if I bestow all my goods to feed , and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.

Love suffereth long, is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;

rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;

beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Love never faileth: but whether prophecies, they shall be done away; whether tongues, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it shall be done away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.

But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Gal 3:10-29

For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.

Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;

and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.

Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.

For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.

What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Now a mediator is not of one; but God is one.

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.

But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

So that the law is become our tutor unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.

For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.

There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one in Christ Jesus.

And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.

Col 3:1-25

If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.

For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.

Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;

for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience:

wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things;

but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:

lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,

and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:

where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;

forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:

and above all these things love, which is the bond of perfectness.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms hymns spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.

And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.

Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged.

Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:

whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;

knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.

For he that doeth wrong shall receive again for the wrong that he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

Jas 2:1-26

My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, of glory, with respect of persons.

For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;

and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under my footstool;

Do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?

But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?

Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?

Howbeit if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

but if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one , he is become guilty of all.

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.

For judgment without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment.

What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?

If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food,

and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself.

Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from works, and I by my works will show thee faith.

Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;

and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.

Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.

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