Updated: Feb 16, 2009
The following is a [very incomplete so far] selection of verses from
the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, taken from the New
International Version at BibleGateway.com.
Even compared to the Koran,
the Old Testament
contains passages advocating a rather shocking level of depravity and
violence. Jesus has a few surprises
as well.
The passages selected are interesting, but not necessarily
representitive of the entire Bible. The main intention is a comparison
with the Koran. For a more complete analysis by a practicing believer,
see this
page. See also the Historical
Origins of the Bible.
The Old Testament
Genesis
19: 1-8 Lot Offers his Daughters to the Sodomites
The two angels
arrived at Sodom in
the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he
saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the
ground. "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's
house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your
way early in the morning." "No," they answered, "we will
spend
the night in the square."
But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and
entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without
yeast, and they ate. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from
every part of the city of Sodom—both young and
old—surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are
the
men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have
sex with them."
Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing. Look, I have
two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to
you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to
these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."
Genesis
19: 30-38 Lot gets Laid by his Daughters
Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the
mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters
lived in a cave. One day the older daughter said to the younger,
"Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as
is the custom all over the earth. Let's get our father to drink wine
and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father."
That night they got their father to drink wine, and the
older
daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay
down or when she got up.
The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last
night I lay with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight,
and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line
through our father." So they got their father to drink wine that
night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he
was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their
father. The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab ; he is the father
of the Moabites of today. The younger daughter also had a son, and
she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.
Judges
19: 20-30 Sacrifice Women to the Homosexual Crowd
"You are welcome at my house," the old man said. "Let me supply
whatever you need. Only don't spend the night in the square." So he
took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed
their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked
men of
the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to
the old man who owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your
house so we can have sex with him."
The owner of the house went outside and said to them, "No,
my
friends, don't be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don't do this
disgraceful thing. Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his
concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and
do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don't do such a
disgraceful thing."
But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his
concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused
her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak
the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell
down at the door and lay there until daylight.
When her master got up in the morning and opened the door
of
the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his
concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the
threshold. He said to her, "Get up; let's go." But there was no
answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.
When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his
concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the
areas of Israel. Everyone who saw it said, "Such a thing has never
been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of
Egypt. Think about it! Consider it! Tell us what to do!"
Numbers
31: 7-18 Moses Orders a Slaughter
They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses,
and
killed every man. Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and
Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of
Beor with the sword. The Israelites captured the Midianite women
and
children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as
plunder. They burned all the towns where the Midianites had
settled, as well
as all their camps. They took all the plunder and spoils, including
the people and animals, and brought the captives, spoils and plunder
to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their
camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.
Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the
community
went to meet them outside the camp. Moses was angry with the
officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and
commanders
of hundreds—who returned from the battle.
"Have you allowed all the women to live?" he asked them.
"They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of
turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so
that a plague struck the LORD's people. Now kill all the boys. And
kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves
every girl who has never slept with a man.
Numbers
25: 1-9 The Price of Infidelity to God
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to
indulge
in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the
sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these
gods. So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD's
anger burned against them.
The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of these
people,
kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that
the LORD's fierce anger may turn away from Israel."
So Moses said to Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to
death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor."
Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite
woman
right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while
they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. When
Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he
left the assembly, took a spear in his hand and followed the
Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of
them—through the Israelite and into the woman's body. Then
the
plague against the Israelites was stopped; but those who died in the
plague numbered 24,000.
Deuteronomy
20: 10-15 How to Attack a City
When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.
If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be
subject to forced labor and shall work for you. If they refuse to
make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that
city. When the LORD your God delivers it into your hand, put to
the sword all
the men in it. As for the women, the children, the livestock and
everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for
yourselves. And you may use the plunder the LORD your God gives you
from your enemies. This is how you are to treat all the cities that
are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
Leviticus
20: 9-18 Rules of Morality
9 If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to
death.
He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his
own head.
10 If a man commits adultery with another man's
wife—with
the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the
adulteress
must be put to death.
11 If a man sleeps with his father's wife, he has dishonored
his
father. Both the man and the woman must be put to death; their blood
will be on their own heads.
12 If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them
must be
put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be
on their own heads.
13 If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of
them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their
blood will be on their own heads.
14 If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is
wicked.
Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will
be among you.
15 If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be
put to death, and you must kill the animal.
16 If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations
with
it, kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death;
their blood will be on their own heads.
17 If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his
father
or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They
must be cut off before the eyes of their people. He has dishonored his
sister and will be held responsible.
18 If a man lies with a woman during her monthly period and
has
sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and
she has also uncovered it. Both of them must be cut off from their
people.
Jeremiah
10:1-4 The Christmas Tree is Forbidden
Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel. This is
what the LORD says:
"Do not
learn the ways of the nations
or be
terrified by signs in the sky,
though the
nations are terrified by them.
For the customs of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a
tree out of the forest,
and a
craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
They adorn it with silver and gold;
they
fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will
not totter.
Ezekiel
1: The Flying Saucer
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth
day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were
opened and I saw visions of God.
On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year
of the exile of King Jehoiachin- the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel
the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of
the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was upon him.
I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the
north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded
by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,
and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In
appearance their form was that of a man, but each of them had four
faces and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like
those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings
on their four sides they had the hands of a man. All four of them had
faces and wings, and their wings touched one another. Each one went
straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.
Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the
face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and
on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.
Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out upward; each had two
wings, one touching the wing of another creature on either side, and
two wings covering its body. Each one went straight ahead. Wherever
the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.
The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire
or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was
bright, and lightning flashed out of it. The creatures sped back and
forth like flashes of lightning.
As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the
ground beside each creature with its four faces. This was the
appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite,
and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel
intersecting a wheel. As they moved, they would go in any one of the
four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about
as the creatures went. Their rims were high and awesome, and all
four rims were full of eyes all around.
When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them
moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels
also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the
wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living
creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also
moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when
the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them,
because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was
what looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. Under
the expanse their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and
each had two wings covering its body. When the creatures moved, I
heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like
the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they
stood still, they lowered their wings.
Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their
heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their
heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high
above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from
what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if
full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and
brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in
the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When
I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
The New Testament
Matthew
5:1 Blessed are...
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and
sat
down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them
saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be
comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will
inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be
filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be
shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see
God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be
called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
Matthew
5:27 Adultery and Divorce
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell
you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed
adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you
to
sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one
part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into
hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and
throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than
for your whole body to go into hell.
"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a
certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his
wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an
adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
Matthew
5:38 Love your Enemy
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'
But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone
wants
to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as
well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two
miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from
the
one who wants to borrow from you.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those
who
persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
He
causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you,
what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing
that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing
more
than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect,
therefore, as
your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew
8:28
When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two
demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent
that no one could pass that way. "What do you want with us,
Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the
appointed time?"
Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was
feeding. The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send
us into the herd of pigs."
He
said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the
whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the
water. Those
tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this,
including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then
the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they
pleaded with him to leave their region.
Matthew
10:32 I came to
bring a sword
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him
before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will
disown him before my Father in heaven.
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the
earth. I
did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a
man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a
daughter-in-law against her motherinlaw— a man's enemies
will
be the members of his own household.
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not
worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not
worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is
not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever
loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 13:54 Jesus is Rejected by those who know him best
Coming
to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their
synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom
and these miraculous powers?" they asked. "Isn't this the
carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers
James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where
then did this man get all these things?" And they took offense at
him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house
is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there
because of their lack of faith.
Matthew
22:5 The Golden Rule
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 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.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew
26:50
For all who draw the sword will die by the sword
Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for. Then the men
stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of
Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the
servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for
all
who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call
on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve
legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled
that say it must happen in this way?"
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a
rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?
Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest
me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets
might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Mark
12:12 "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God
what is God's."
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch
him in his words. They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know
you
are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no
attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance
with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or
not? Should
we pay or shouldn't we?"
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he
asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." They brought the
coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose
inscription?"
"Caesar's," they replied.
Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God
what is God's."
Mark
11: 12-21 Jesus Kills the Fig Tree, and also Clears
the Temple
The next day
as they were leaving
Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found
nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he
said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his
disciples heard him say it.
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and
began
driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the
tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling
doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the
temple
courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: My
house
will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it
a den of robbers."
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this
and
began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the
whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.
In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree
withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi,
look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
John
2: 1-10 Jesus Changes Water to Wine
On
the third day a
wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and
Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the
wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not
yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for
ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled
them to the brim.
Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the
banquet."
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had
been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from,
though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the
bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first
and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink;
but you have saved the best till now."
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of
Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith
in him.
John
2:14 Drive the Moneychangers out of the
Temple
|
|
In the
temple courts he found
men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables
exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove
all from
the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the
money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold
doves
he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house
into a market!" |
