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Voices of Scripture

The Bible, quoted
in its own voices.

Every passage is traced to the person behind it — stated in the text,
carried by tradition, or spoken where no author is named.

Isaiah @isaiah · Isaiah 10:15-19

Should an ax brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood. Therefore the Lord, GOD of Armies, will send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire. The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day. He will consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. It will be as when a standard bearer faints. The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child could write their number.

Stated in text

Isaiah 1:1 names Isaiah.

Jesus @jesus · Matthew 8:22

“Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Speaker, not author

Spoken by Jesus; the Gospel does not name its own author.

Jeremiah @jeremiah · Jeremiah 4:1-6

“If you will return, Israel,” says the LORD, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed; and you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.” For the LORD says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the trumpet in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’ Set up a standard toward Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”

Stated in text

Jeremiah 1:1 names Jeremiah.

Don’t despise prophecies. Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Stated in text

1 Thessalonians 1:1 names Paul.

For I said, “Don’t let them gloat over me, or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips.” For I am ready to fall. My pain is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity. I will be sorry for my sin. But my enemies are vigorous and many. Those who hate me without reason are numerous. They who give evil for good are also adversaries to me, because I follow what is good. Don’t forsake me, LORD. My God, don’t be far from me. Hurry to help me, Lord, my salvation.

Stated in text

Heading: “A Psalm by David, for a memorial.”

Ezekiel @ezekiel · Ezekiel 8:7-11

He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. Then he said to me, “Son of man, dig now in the wall.” When I had dug in the wall, I saw a door. He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here.” So I went in and looked, and saw every form of creeping things, abominable animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around on the wall. Seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel stood before them. In the middle of them Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan stood, every man with his censer in his hand; and the smell of the cloud of incense went up.

Stated in text

Ezekiel 1:1 names Ezekiel.

Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares? Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you. Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Stated in text

Proverbs 1:1 and 10:1 attribute these collections to Solomon.

Isaiah @isaiah · Isaiah 40:12-17

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the sky with his span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measuring basket, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the LORD’s Spirit, or has taught him as his counselor? Who did he take counsel with, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on a balance. Behold, he lifts up the islands like a very little thing. Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor its animals sufficient for a burnt offering. All the nations are like nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

Traditional attribution

The book names Isaiah in 1:1. Many scholars date chapters 40 to 66 later.

Echoed by Paul in Romans 11:33-36
Echoed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Stated in text

1 Thessalonians 1:1 names Paul.

Ezekiel @ezekiel · Ezekiel 12:1-6

The LORD’s word also came to me, saying, “Son of man, you dwell in the middle of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and don’t see, who have ears to hear, and don’t hear; for they are a rebellious house. “Therefore, you son of man, prepare your baggage for moving, and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for moving. You shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as when men go out into exile. Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your baggage out that way. In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you don’t see the land, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.”

Stated in text

Ezekiel 1:1 names Ezekiel.