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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.

“Every man has become stupid and without knowledge. Every goldsmith is disappointed by his image, for his molten images are falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation, they will perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these, for he formed all things, including the tribe of his inheritance. The LORD of Armies is his name.

Stated in text

Jeremiah 1:1 names Jeremiah.

Isaiah @isaiah · Isaiah 59:16-21

He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor. Therefore his own arm brought salvation to him; and his righteousness sustained him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head. He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle. According to their deeds, he will repay as appropriate: wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies. He will repay the islands their due. So they will fear the LORD’s name from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the LORD’s breath drives. “A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from disobedience in Jacob,” says the LORD. “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your offspring, nor out of the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now on and forever.”

Traditional attribution

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

Echoed by Paul in Romans 11:25-27
Jeremiah @jeremiah · Jeremiah 24:4-7

The LORD’s word came to me, saying, “The LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, as good. For I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land. I will build them, and not pull them down. I will plant them, and not pluck them up. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God; for they will return to me with their whole heart.

Stated in text

Jeremiah 1:1 names Jeremiah.

Jesus @jesus · Mark 5:19

“Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you.”

Speaker, not author

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

Isaiah @isaiah · Isaiah 63:7-10

I will tell of the loving kindnesses of the LORD and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has given to us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has given to them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. For he said, “Surely, they are my people, children who will not deal falsely;” so he became their Savior. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. He bore them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. Therefore he turned and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them.

Traditional attribution

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

Paul @paul · Romans 9:22-26

What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory— us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? As he says also in Hosea, “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people; and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.” “It will be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

Referring to
Hosea @hosea · Hosea 1:7-11

But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen.” Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived, and bore a son. He said, “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I will not be yours. Yet the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which can’t be measured or counted; and it will come to pass that, in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ The children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint themselves one head, and will go up from the land; for great will be the day of Jezreel.

Referring to
Hosea @hosea · Hosea 2:18-23

In that day I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the creeping things of the ground. I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land, and will make them lie down safely. I will betroth you to me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in loving kindness, and in compassion. I will even betroth you to me in faithfulness; and you shall know the LORD. It will happen in that day, that I will respond,” says the LORD. “I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth; and the earth will respond to the grain, and the new wine, and the oil; and they will respond to Jezreel. I will sow her to me in the earth; and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; and I will tell those who were not my people, ‘You are my people;’ and they will say, ‘You are My God!’”

Stated in text

Romans 1:1 names Paul.

Jesus @jesus · Matthew 15:32

“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way.”

Speaker, not author

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

“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who each steal my words from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues, and say, ‘He says.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” says the LORD, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them or command them. They don’t profit this people at all,” says the LORD.

Stated in text

Jeremiah 1:1 names Jeremiah.

Paul @paul · Romans 1:26-27

For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.

Stated in text

Romans 1:1 names Paul.

Jeremiah @jeremiah · Jeremiah 5:12-17

They have denied the LORD, and said, “It is not he. Evil won’t come on us. We won’t see sword or famine. The prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them.” Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them. Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far away, house of Israel,” says the LORD. “It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don’t know and don’t understand what they say. Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men. They will eat up your harvest and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They will eat up your flocks and your herds. They will eat up your vines and your fig trees. They will beat down your fortified cities in which you trust with the sword.

Stated in text

Jeremiah 1:1 names Jeremiah.