Bible Basics

We track Israel’s turning point after Moses dies and Joshua steps up, showing that God’s promise keeps moving even when leadership changes. We walk through Jericho, Rahab, Achan, and Joshua’s final challenge to prove one big claim: God keeps every promise, so trust him in your next hard step. 

• Moses’ death as a crisis that does not stop God’s plan 
• Joshua’s three seasons: entering the land, dividing it, renewing covenant loyalty 
• Jericho as a trust test through an unusual battle plan 
• Jericho as a difficult story framed as judgment in a specific time 
• Rahab’s rescue as mercy and inclusion for outsiders who believe 
• Achan and Ai as the cost of disobedience 
• The land allotment and the challenge of staying faithful while spread out 
• Joshua’s name as Yeshua and the connection to Jesus 
• Joshua’s closing claim that no promise failed 
• Practical questions for change, fear, and unfamiliar territory 

If you don't want to miss where the story goes next, now's a good time to follow, comment, or subscribe. 
Until then, keep reading, keep seeking, and keep growing in your faith. 

SOURCES:

• Baker Illustrated Study Bible. (2018). Baker Books.
• Curtis, A. H. W. (1998). Joshua. Sheffield Academic Press.
• NIV Study Bible. (2020). Zondervan.

RELATED EPISODE:
Ancient Israel Rises And Falls. The Story Isn't Over.           https://youtu.be/4KsE7y4aZQw

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Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

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Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We zoom out and trace Israel’s story from entering the Promised Land to exile and life under Persian rule, so you can read the Old Testament history books with confidence. We follow the rise, fracture, and fallout of a nation while holding onto the bigger point: God stays faithful even when His people don’t. 
• the history books as the next major Bible section after the first five books 
• a timeline that spans entrance into the land through exile and return 
• why these books are more than events and are about meaning 
• Joshua and the start of settling the land 
• Judges as a repeating cycle of drift, trouble, rescue, and return 
• Ruth as a quiet story of loyalty and redemption 
• Israel’s request for a king and the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon 
• the temple in Jerusalem and why it matters 
• the split into Israel in the north and Judah in the south 
• Chronicles as a retelling with focus on David’s family and the temple 
• Assyria and Babylon as the conquering empires and exile as judgment 
• Cyrus of Persia and the surprising turn toward return 
• Ezra and Nehemiah rebuilding worship and walls 
• Esther’s risk to save her people and God’s care even when unnamed 
• a personal reflection on trusting God in the parts we want to skip 
If you don't want to miss where the story goes next, now is a good time to follow or subscribe. 

SOURCES:  

CSB Baker Illustrated Study Bible. (2018). Baker Books.

Eichenberger, J., Daniel, E. A., Root, O., Sharp, C. J., & Moninger, H. (2011). Training for Service: A basic Bible Overview for Every Christian (7th ed.). Standard Publishing

RELATED EPISODES:

Joshua, Judges, and Ruth: Faith, Obedience, and Divine Promises https://youtu.be/XsG8lHJGohg

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We spotlight a surprising Bible detail: the first person Scripture says God fills with His Spirit is a craftsman, Bezalel, chosen to design and build for the tabernacle. We talk about how creativity, skill, and hands-on work can fit into a life with God when it’s guided by obedience and aimed at serving others. 
• Bezalel as the first explicitly Spirit-filled person and why that matters 
• The tabernacle at Mount Sinai and the real-world need for skilled makers 
• Wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skill as God-given empowerment for craftsmanship 
• Creativity as community work with Oholiab and other skilled workers 
• Why not every creative idea should be labeled “from the Holy Spirit” 
• Using what we make to support worship, meet needs, and serve people 
• Reflective questions to help connect gifts with purpose and faithfulness 

If you want more context for Bezalel's story and where it fits into the Bible, check out our episode on the first five books of the Bible. I'll link it in the description. If you're watching on YouTube, you can click on your screen now. 

Related Episode:

The First Five Books That Men the Bible Click https://youtu.be/DeDAu509Fm8

Sources:

Merida, T. (2014). Exalting Jesus in Exodus. Holman Reference.

NIV Bible speaks today: Notes. (2020), p. 112. IVP.

Piper, J. (2007). How believers experienced the Spirit before Pentecost. In Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989). Desiring God. (Sermon originally delivered February 19, 1984)

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Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We slow down and translate six Hebrew names of God so our worship and prayers match what we mean. We also explain why LORD appears in all caps in many English Bibles and how each name reveals God’s character at the moment people need it most. 
• why names carry identity in the ancient world 
• LORD in all caps as a sign of Yahweh 
• Elohim as Creator and supreme God 
• Yahweh as God’s personal name and presence 
• Adonai as Lordship and surrender in struggle 
• El Shaddai as all-sufficient strength 
• Jehovah Jireh as God’s provision in fear 
• Jehovah Rapha as healing and restoration 
• choosing a name of God to pray in hard moments 

Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.

REFERENCED SONG: Yahweh will Manifest Himself (written by  Elimart De La Rosa Martinez and Rayniery De Los Santos)

My favorite versions

• Red Worship Loop (don’t listen to it while driving)  
• Victor Thompson 
• The Rock Church of Elk Grove feat. Eli Rios 

RELATED EPISODES

• The First Five Books That Make the Bible Click
• What's in a Name? The Names of God and Their Meaning

SOURCES

• Bailey, E. K. (2024). The Premises of Prayer. In E. K. Bailey Essential Sermon Archive. Logos Bible Software.
• Bratka, B. D. (2016). Elohim. In J. D. Barry et al. (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
• Got Questions Ministries. (2002–2013). What does it mean that God is Jehovah-Jireh? In Got Questions? Bible questions Answered. Logos Bible Software.
• Hastings, J., et al. (1909). Elohim. In Dictionary of the Bible (p. 299). Charles Scribner's Sons.
• Martens, E. A. (1996). God, Names of. In Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Baker Reference Library, p. 300). Baker Book House.
• McCaulley, E. (2014). Worship. In D. Mangum et al. (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Lexham Press.
• Ryrie, C. C. (1999). Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth (pp. 52–54). Moody Press.
• Unger, M. F., et al. (1988). Elohim. In The New Unger's Bible dDctionary. Moody Press.
• Van Groningen, G. (1988). God, names of. In Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (pp. 882, 885). Baker Book House.

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We connect a surprising World Cup “missing the rules” moment to what it feels like to read Scripture without the first five books. We walk through the Pentateuch as one connected foundation story that explains the Bible’s big themes and points forward to Jesus. 
• the soccer rulebook analogy for Bible confusion 
• what the Pentateuch is and why it’s called Torah 
• who the books are written for and what questions they answer 
• a clear walkthrough of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy 
• the central thread: God rescues a people to bring them to himself 
• how the laws describe life with a holy God and care for others 
• why the prophets and New Testament keep quoting these books 
• Jesus’ claim to fulfill the law and the prophets 
This week, read Genesis chapter 12, verses 1 through 3. Write down what God promises Abraham, his family, and the nations. Until our next episode, keep reading, keep seeking, and keep growing in your faith.

RELATED EPISODE:

The Pentateuch: Insights Into the First Five Books of the Bible

SOURCES:

• Carpenter, E. E. (1986). Pentateuch. In G. W. Bromiley (Ed.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Rev. ed., Vol. 3, p. 742). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
• Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV study Bible. Crossway Bibles.
• Elwell, W. A. (1995). Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. Baker Book House.
• The New Interpreter’s Handbook of Preaching. (2010). Abingdon Press.
• Rose Publishing. (n.d.). Bible Overview. Rose Publishing.

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We talk about why Bible reading gets hard the moment life gets busy, and why perfectionism makes it even harder to come back. We share three small, realistic habits you can use before, during, and after you read so consistency feels lighter and more doable.
• Anchoring Bible reading to an existing daily habit so your routine becomes the reminder
• Reading a few verses before and after to understand Scripture in context
• Writing one sentence after reading to capture a truth, question, or need
• Letting go of shame after missed days and choosing to begin again
• Picking the easiest habit first and adding the others over time
Click on the link in the show notes for a more in depth look at ways to level up your Bible reading habits.

RELATED EPISODE:

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

Jeremiah 29:11 becomes clearer and more powerful when we read it inside Jeremiah’s letter to exiles living in Babylon. We walk through a simple inductive Bible study method that helps us hear God’s promise as steady hope for a long season, not a shortcut to getting everything we want.

• why Jeremiah 29:11 is often misunderstood when it is read alone
• how to use observation to notice repeated words, contrasts, and connecting words like “for”
• how context answers key questions like who “you” is and why hope is needed
• what the Babylonian exile reveals about waiting, faithfulness, and daily life
• why “prosper” points to welfare and peace rather than guaranteed wealth
• how verses 12–14 deepen the promise with prayer, seeking God, and restoration
• how to apply the passage through trust, patient action, and seeking the good of our community
• a step-by-step practice plan for studying any focused verse with its surrounding paragraph

Leave a comment on YouTube or send me a message on Instagram. I read and respond to everyone.

SOURCES:

Beetham, C. A., & Erickson, N. L. (Eds.). (2024). The NIV application commentary on the Bible. Zondervan Academic.

Fuhr, R. A., Jr., & Köstenberger, A. J. (2016). Inductive Bible study: Observation, interpretation, and application through the lenses of history, literature, and theology. B&H Academic.

Got Questions Ministries. (2026, January 21). What is inductive Bible study? https://www.gotquestions.org/inductive-Bible-study.html

RELATED EPISODES:

Jeremiah Part 1: he Man, The Call, The Tears

Jeremiah Part 2: The Message, The Warnings, The Hope

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We stop treating Bible reading like a box to check and learn three simple ways to slow down and understand a passage. We test each method on Philippians 4:6-7 so you can choose what fits your season and actually helps you pray and grow. 
• Why slowing down turns reading into real study 
• Three approaches that work for beginners and longtime readers 
• Following a Bible person to learn who they are and what their life shows about God 
• The SOAP method for quick daily reflection using Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer 
• The inductive three-question method to keep context first and application last 
• Why Paul’s setting changes how Philippians 4 lands 
So you want to try it this week? Keep it small. Just pick one passage, use one method.

SOURCES:

• Richard Fuhr Jr. and Andreas Köstenberger, "Inductive Bible Study" (B&H, 2016)
• Debra Haddix, "Journaling for the Soul" (Warner Press, 2018)
• Debra Haddix, "Soul Nourishment" (Warner Press, 2018)
• Lawrence Richards and Gary Bredfeldt, "Creative Bible Teaching" (Moody Publishers, 2020)
• Got Questions Ministries, "What Is Inductive Bible Study?" (gotquestions.org)

RELATED EPISODES:

• Grasping God's Word: How to Study the Bible    https://youtu.be/LtrtxMu2nqA
• Navigating Bible Study with the S.O.A.P. Method: 1 Corinthians 10:13 https://youtu.be/uGM4oO8xF8k 
• Top Tools for Enhanced Bible Study: Extra-Biblical Resources https://youtu.be/NJ5t_ia1MzE 
• Bible Study Tools That Actually Help https://youtu.be/LtrtxMu2nqA

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We get practical about Bible study tools that clarify confusing words, places, and customs without replacing slow, prayerful reading. We share a simple rhythm for using study Bibles, dictionaries, commentaries, and digital apps in a way that keeps Scripture at the center.
• why we get stuck when the Bible feels far from modern life
• using the Bible itself first by reading context and tracing repeated themes
• what a study Bible adds and how to avoid reading notes too soon
• how a Bible dictionary strengthens key terms like Passover
• what commentaries are and how to treat them as help, not authority
• choosing commentaries that match your level and returning to the text to check
• using digital Bible apps for audio, search, and translation comparison without distraction
• a simple study rhythm: pray, read, notice, use a tool, come back to Scripture
• two reflection questions on where you get stuck and which one tool to try next

Digital Resources 

• YouVersion Bible App  
• Bible Gateway  
• Blue Letter Bible 
• Olive Tree Bible App 
• Logos Bible Study App - Free version 

 Related Episode

 Top Tools for Enhanced Bible Study: Extra Biblical Resources 

References

Deane, A. (2009). Learn to study the Bible: Forty different step-by-step methods to help you discover, apply, and enjoy God’s Word. Xulon Press.

Jenkins, D. (2021). You’ve decided to study the Bible—now what? Bible Study Magazine, 13(6), 32.

Sri, E. (2009). The Bible compass: A Catholic’s guide to navigating the Scriptures. Ascension Press.

Strong, K., & Martin, S. (2019). Back roads to belonging: Unexpected paths to finding your place and your people. Revell.

Study tools: Resources for deeper Bible study. (2019). Bible Study Magazine, 11(6), 47.

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

We take one of the most quoted Bible verses and show how it changes when you read the lines around it. We break down four simple context questions that help us understand Scripture more clearly and apply it the way it was meant to be lived. 

• Philippians 4:13 as contentment in hardship, not a promise of winning 
• Scriptural context by reading the sentences, paragraph, and chapter around a verse 
• Historical context for understanding the prophets and Israel’s backstory 
• Cultural context through the shock and setting of the Good Samaritan 
• Literary context and genre using Psalm 23 as poetry and imagery 
• A simple weekly practice for slowing down, noticing more, and hearing God clearly 
• Why context protects us from misunderstanding and misapplying Scripture 
• Next episode: Tools that help, including study Bibles and Bible dictionaries 

Try this: Pick one passage, maybe a short story from one of the gospels, maybe a few verses from one of Paul’s letters, maybe a psalm. Read it once, then walk it through context using our four questions. 

SOURCES: 

• Doriani, D. M. (2001). Putting the truth to work: The theory and practice of biblical application. P&R Publishing.
• Helm, D. R. (2024). How can I begin to teach the Bible? Crossway.
• Marshall, I. H. (1980). How do we interpret the Bible today? Themelios, 5(2).
• Pace, R. S. (2018). Preaching by the book: Developing and delivering text-driven sermons (H. A. Thomas, Ed.). B&H Academic.
• Schultz, R. L. (2012). Out of context: How to avoid misinterpreting the Bible. Baker Books.
• Tumlinson, N. (1999). Teachers of good things: God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for our food. Christianity Magazine, 16(11).

RELATED EPISODES:

• Why the Bible Confused Me Until I Learned This One Thing  
• Genre Matters: Exploring the Different Writing Styles of the Bible  
• Context Matters: Understanding Post-Exile Prophets 
• Literary Context: How to Study the Bible  
• Historical / Cultural Context: How to Study the Bible  
• The Prophets: Messengers of God’s Word in the Bible – Pt 2 (Historical Context)  

We'd love to hear from you - Click Here to Text Us a Message.

Want to live with more purpose and intention?  Check out my book, Life Planning God's Way: A Guide to Living with Purpose and Intention. It's a practical, faith-friendly guide to goal-setting and building a life that reflects what God has placed in your heart.

Grab your copy on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h7uLiwL

Have questions about what it means to follow Jesus?
Whether you’re just starting your faith journey or exploring what the Bible teaches, we’d love to walk with you. God’s invitation is real, personal, and full of grace.

💬 Reach out to Jacqui at [email protected]
📖 Talk to a trusted Christian in your life
🏠 Or visit a Bible-believing church near you

You are not alone. God’s Word is alive, and He is still drawing people to Himself today. Don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Thank you for tuning in!
Bible Basics is now streaming in video on Youtube.  Please subscribe now!

Feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!

Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.