To: J_F_Shepard who wrote (780089 ) 4/16/2014 10:00:37 AM From: Brumar89 Respond to of 1574312 What is the prodigal son? What are the ten commandments, anyway? What did Jesus say were the two greatest commandments?* What did the Apostle Paul say about love?* What does Proverbs compare to a fool bent on his folly?* What is the 23rd Psalm?* What does Isaiah say about those who hope in the Lord?* Those and A FEW THOUSAND other things are only known to people familiar with the Bible. The Bible is a critical part of our (and humanity's) cultural heritage and people raised without a familiarity with it are simply NOT well educated. * Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39 * Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains**, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor , and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. This excerpt is from 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 NKJV * Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. (Prov. 17:12)* The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23 * But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 ** BTW this "remove mountains" comment is a reference to a comment of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and shows the familiarity of Paul with either the written gospel itself or the witnesses who heard Jesus make the comment.