The "three sixteens" of the New Testament

Post Reply
User avatar
Paidion
Posts: 5452
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:22 pm
Location: Back Woods of North-Western Ontario

The "three sixteens" of the New Testament

Post by Paidion » Wed Nov 03, 2010 8:30 pm

Perhaps the best known verse of the New Testament is John 3:16. I wondered if chapter 3 and verse 16 of the other books of the New Testament had significance too. This would be accidental significance of course, since the verse structure was added much later. Indeed early copies of writings from the New Testament didn't even have the Greek words separated, let alone the sentences. I think you can see that this is the case by looking at this photo of a page from papyrus 46, on which the Greek words were written about 150 A.D.
Image

So surely those who divided the NT into chapters and verses were not inspired to do so. Furthermore, I am no believer in numerology. Notwithstanding, it is interesting to observe that the 3:16 of most books of the New Testament seem to be very important statements:

Matthew 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.

Mark 3:16 He appointed the twelve.

Luke 3:16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Acts 3:16 And his name––by faith in his name––has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Romans 3:16 In their paths are ruin and misery,

I Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

2 Corinthians 3:16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

Ephesians 3:16 … that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 3:16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Colossians 3: 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

1 Thessalonians (none)

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

1 Timothy 3: 16
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Titus (none)

Philemon (none)

Hebrews 3:16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?

James 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

(… always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;)
I Peter 3:16 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

(And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,)
2 Peter 3:16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

I John 3:16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

2 John (none)

3 John (none)

Revelation 3: 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.

User avatar
Candlepower
Posts: 239
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:26 pm
Location: Missouri

Re: The "three sixteens" of the New Testament

Post by Candlepower » Thu Nov 04, 2010 2:57 pm

Thank you, Paidion! That was very interesting. I smiled and thanked God for those 3:16's as I read them.

Post Reply

Return to “The Gospels”