Highlighted

I’m kind of a big advocate of Not Writing In Books. I don’t underline things. I don’t dog-ear pages. If I want to find something, I either remember where it is or Google it. Or reread the book.

But I have two Bibles in which I’m willing to highlight or underline verses (and add a very occasional footnote). I’m not sure what it is that distinguishes them from other Bibles, but something does.

So I thought it might be interesting to go through one of them and see what verses caught my eye when my special Bible-highlighting-pencil-that-doesn’t-bleed-through-the-thin-pages was around. These aren’t necessarily my favorite verses, nor all the verses I like. (Though you can probably tell I’ve read through Proverbs several times.) But here they are: the highlighted verses in my English Standard Version Huge Study Bible That Develops Physical AND Spiritual Muscles! (Okay, that’s not actually what it’s called. But it should be.)

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:13-14

“When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.” – Deuteronomy 24:5

And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.'” – 1 Kings 20:11

He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
– Psalm 1:3

Be still and know that I am God. – Psalm 46:10a

The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
– Proverbs 10:7

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
– Proverbs 12:25

Hope deferred makes the hart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
– Proverbs 13:12

To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
– Proverbs 15:23

A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
– Proverbs 17:17

A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
– Proverbs 17:22

A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
– Proverbs 18:14

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
– Proverbs 22:1

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
– Proverbs 27:2

Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
– Proverbs 27:14

Two things I ask of you;
deny them not to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the LORD?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.
– Proverbs 30:7-9

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
– Proverbs 31:30-31

Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. – Ecclesiastes 4:6

Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man may prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him – a threefold cord is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

[F]ear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
– Isaiah 41:10

“Fear not, nor be afraid;
have I not told you from of old and declared it?
And you are my witnesses!
Is there a God besides me?
There is no Rock; I know not any.”
– Isaiah 44:8

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

“With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
– Micah 6:6-8

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” – Malachi 4:2

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:34

He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” – Luke 19:40

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call  you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” – John 15:13-15

“So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.” – Acts 5:38-39a

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.” – Acts 17:26

Outdo one another in showing honor. – Romans 12:10b

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. – Romans 15:1

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. – 2 Corinthians 4:17

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. – Galatians 4:6-7

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. – Ephesians 5:4

Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. – 2 Timothy 2:23

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder! – James 2:19