Self-denial

How Nave’s arranged it

• General scriptures concerningGenesis 22:1–122 Samuel 24:24Psalms 132:3–5Proverbs 16:32Proverbs 23:2Daniel 10:3Matthew 5:29Matthew 5:30Matthew 8:19–22Matthew 10:37–39Matthew 13:44–46Matthew 16:24Matthew 16:25Matthew 18:8Matthew 18:9Matthew 19:12Matthew 19:21Mark 2:14Mark 8:34Mark 8:35
• See Cross
• See Humility
• INSTANCES OF
• Abraham, when he offered to Lot (his junior) his preference of the land of Canaan with 17:8Genesis 13:9
• Moses, in choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for only a little whileHebrews 11:25
• Moses, in taking no compensation from the Israelites for his servicesNumbers 16:15
• Samuel, in his administration of justice1 Samuel 12:31 Samuel 12:4
• The widow of Zarephath, in sharing with Elijah the last of her sustenance1 Kings 17:12–15
• Daniel, in his abstentionDaniel 1:8
• Daniel, in refusing rewards from BelshazzarDaniel 5:16Daniel 5:17
• Esther, in risking her life for the deliverance of her peopleEsther 4:16

The passages, in Bible order (101)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 13:9

   Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 13:92 voices

   “Is not the whole land before thee?....

   “Is not the whole land before thee - As the patriarch or head of the family, Abram, by prescriptive right, might have chosen his own portion first, and appointed Lot his; but intent upon peace, and feeling pure and parental affection for his nephew, he permitted him to make his choice first.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 13:9→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 22:1–12

   Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 22:1–122 voices

   “Give your attention, you who have approached God—who believe yourselves to be faithful. Consider diligently how the faith of the faithful is proved from these words that have been read to us. "And it came to pass," the text says, "after these words, God tested Abraham and said to him: 'Abraham, Abraham.' And he said, 'Here I am.' " Observe each detail that has been written. For, if one knows how to dig into the depth, he will find a treasure in the details, and perhaps also the precious jewels of the mysteries lie hidden where they are not esteemed.

   “And it came to pass after these things,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 22:1–12→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Numbers 16:15

   Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.”

   ›Commentary on Numbers 16:151 voice

   “And Moses was very wroth,.... Or "it heated Moses exceedingly" (p); made him very angry, caused him to burn with wrath against them; even the speech they made, the words they uttered, not so much on account of their ill usage of him, as for the dishonour cast upon the Lord: and said unto the Lord, respect not thou their offering; their "Minchah", the word is commonly used for the meat or bread offering.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 16:15→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. 1 Samuel 12:3

   Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

   ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 12:31 voice

   In this way, too, Samuel, who judged the people so many years, and bore rule over Israel without any pride, in the end cleared himself, saying, "I have walked before you from my childhood even unto this day: answer me in the sight of God, and before His anointed; whose ox or whose ass of yours have I taken, or over whom have I tyrannized, or whom have I oppressed? or if I have received from the hand of any a bribe or [so much as] a shoe, speak out against me, and I will restore it to you."

   Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 12:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. 1 Samuel 12:4

   “You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

   ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 12:42 voices

   In this way, too, Samuel, who judged the people so many years, and bore rule over Israel without any pride, in the end cleared himself, saying, "I have walked before you from my childhood even unto this day: answer me in the sight of God, and before His anointed; whose ox or whose ass of yours have I taken, or over whom have I tyrannized, or whom have I oppressed? or if I have received from the hand of any a bribe or [so much as] a shoe, speak out against me, and I will restore it to you."

   “Because indeed he had been known by all for such great contempt of worldly things, there follows: 'And they said: You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor taken anything from anyone's hand. And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and His Christ is witness on this day, that you will not find anything in my hand. And they said: He is witness.'

   Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 12:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. 2 Samuel 24:24

   “No,” replied the king, “I insist on paying a price, for I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 24:242 voices

   “Therefore, the king himself offered blessed David the threshing floor and oxen for a burnt offering, but King David refused to accept them without first paying a price. This, too, was fulfilled at the coming of our Lord and Savior, for he refused to take …

   “And the king said unto Araunah, nay, but I will surely buy it of thee at a price,....

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 24:24→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. 1 Kings 17:12–15

   But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.”

   ›Commentary on 1 Kings 17:12–152 voices

   “When Elijah reached the gate of Zarephath, he met a woman and immediately realized, through the Holy Spirit, that she was the widow about whom God had talked to him. She was there and looked at him. It seems to me that Elijah had asked …

   “Let us further see where blessed Elijah found that widow, dearly beloved. She had gone out to get water and to pick up sticks of wood. Let us now consider what the water and the wood signify. We know that both are very pleasing and …

   Everything gathered on 1 Kings 17:12–15→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Esther 4:16

   “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”

   ›Commentary on Esther 4:162 voices

   “Many women, fortified by the grace of God, have accomplished many heroic actions. The blessed Judith, when the city was besieged, asked permission of the elders to be allowed to go into the foreigners' camp. By exposing herself to danger she went out for love of her country and of the people who were besieged, and the Lord delivered Holophernes into the hand of a woman. To no less danger did Esther, who was perfect in faith, expose herself, in order to save the twelve tribes of Israel that were to be destroyed.

   “Why did Queen Esther expose herself to death and not fear the wrath of a fierce king? Was it not to save her people from death, an act both seemly and virtuous? The king of Persia himself also, though fierce and proud, yet thought it seemly to show honor to the man who had given information about a plot that had been laid against himself, to save a free people from slavery, to snatch them from death and not to spare him who had pressed on such unseemly plans.

   Everything gathered on Esther 4:16→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Psalms 132:3–5

   “I will not enter my house or get into my bed,

   ›Commentary on Psalms 132:3–51 voice

   “If I shall enter into the tabernacle of my house. David says this: I seek no other rest but Christ, who is to be born of my seed, that is, whom you promised would be born of my loins.

   Everything gathered on Psalms 132:3–5→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Proverbs 16:32

    He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 16:321 voice

    “If you are angry, be angry with yourselves, because you are roused, and you will not sin. For he who is angry with himself, because he has been so easily roused, ceases to be angry with another. But he who wishes to prove his anger is righteous only gets the more inflamed and quickly falls into sin. "Better is he," as Solomon says, "that restrains his anger than he that takes a city," for anger leads astray even brave men.

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 16:32→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Proverbs 23:2

    and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.

    ›Commentary on Proverbs 23:22 voices

    “And put a knife to thy throat,.... Refrain from too much talk at the table; give not too loose to thy tongue, but bridle it, considering in whose presence thou art; do not use too much freedom, either with the ruler or fellow guests; which, when persons have ate and drank well, they are too apt to do, and sometimes say things offensive to one or the other; it is good for a man to be upon his guard; see Ecc 5:

    “Put a knife to thy throat - Repress thy appetite, and do not be incontinent of speech. Eat, drink, and converse, under a check.

    Everything gathered on Proverbs 23:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Jeremiah 35:6

    “We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine.

    ›Commentary on Jeremiah 35:62 voices

    “[Daniel 7:1] "In the first year of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, Daniel beheld a dream. And a vision of his head upon his bed. And when he wrote the dream down, he comprehended it in a few words and gave a brief summary of it, saying..." This section which we now undertake to explain, and also the subsequent section which we are going to discuss, is historically prior to the two previous sections.

    “The sons of Jonadab, we are told, drank neither wine nor strong drink and dwelled in tents pitched wherever night overtook them. According to the Psalter, they were the first to undergo captivity; for, when the Chaldaeans began to ravage Judah, they were compelled to take refuge in cities.Others may think what they like and follow each his own bent. But to me a town is a prison and solitude paradise. Why do we long for the bustle of cities, we whose very name speaks of loneliness?

    Everything gathered on Jeremiah 35:6→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Jeremiah 35:7

    Nor are you ever to build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Instead, you must live in tents all your lives, so that you may live a long time in the land where you wander.’

    ›Commentary on Jeremiah 35:72 voices

    “Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any,....

    “[Daniel 7:1] "In the first year of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, Daniel beheld a dream. And a vision of his head upon his bed. And when he wrote the dream down, he comprehended it in a few words and gave a brief summary of it, saying..." This section which we now undertake to explain, and also the subsequent section which we are going to discuss, is historically prior to the two previous sections.

    Everything gathered on Jeremiah 35:7→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Daniel 1:8

    But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

    ›Commentary on Daniel 1:81 voice

    “Verse 8. "Daniel, however, purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled by food from the king's table, nor by the wine which he drank, and he asked the chief of the eunuchs that he might not be polluted." He who would not eat or drink of the king's food or wine lest he be denied (especially if he should be aware that the wisdom and teaching of the Babylonians is mistaken), would never consent to utter what was wrong.

    Everything gathered on Daniel 1:8→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Daniel 5:16

    But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

    ›Commentary on Daniel 5:162 voices

    “And I have heard of thee,....

    “Then accordingly after the king heard the things concerning him he commanded Daniel to be brought and he said to him, "Are you Daniel who is from the sons of the captivity of Judea, whom my father Nebuchadnezzar brought? I have heard concerning you that you are able to interpret questions. And so now if you are able to read this writing and to make known its interpretation to me you shall be clothed in purple and a golden necklace shall be upon your neck and you shall be the third position in my kingdom." [Daniel 5:13-16]

    Everything gathered on Daniel 5:16→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Daniel 5:17

    In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

    ›Commentary on Daniel 5:171 voice

    “Verse 17. "To this Daniel made answer before the king, saying: 'Thy gifts be unto thyself, and bestow the presents of thy house upon someone else...'" We should follow the example of a man like Daniel, who despised the honor and gifts of a king, and who without any reward even in that early day followed the Gospel injunction: "Freely have ye received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8) And besides, when one is announcing sad tidings, it is unbecoming for him willingly to accept gifts.

    Everything gathered on Daniel 5:17→

    Verse page →Original language →