The King James Version (1611) in its four hundred years became part of the culture of our 'Christian' country, so that passages of scripture influence the thinking and the expressions used by people who have not studied or even read the Bible as a whole. It seemed a good idea to a publisher to bring a great number of these passages together in a 'Dictionary of Bible Quotations'.

This dictionary gave an idea how we students might test our Bible knowledge. Below are printed several passages, without a scripture reference. Can you say where they are to be found, and make a comment about each one? (There is one odd one out.)

1   He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

2   This I recall to my mind therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

3   And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

4   The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

5   But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.

6   Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you; A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

7   And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

8   And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem.

The verse references, if you need them, look below

1   Micah 6.8 The Israelites had neglected God. How should they now show their repentance? This answer seems simple enough in a complicated world. If only we could live up to it!

2   Lamentations 3.21-3 These verses are part of an alphabetic poem, like most of Lamentations, and come under the letter heth. In the midst of all his sufferings, the writer has to remind himself that God is good. Is this the same as what we do when we sing 'Great is thy faithfulness'?

3   Isaiah 53.9 This comes in the fourth Servant Song in Isaiah (the others are at chapters 42.1, 49.1 and 50.4). It is startling how this chapter is fulfilled in the life of Our Lord.

4   Psalm 110.1 Jesus used this verse to perplex the Pharisees (Matthew 22.41-6) If as they believed it referred to the Messiah, how could he be both David's son and his Lord? And what did the answer imply?

5   This is the odd one out. It comes from the Wisdom of Solomon (3.1) This book was part of the Apocrypha, being written in Greek, and would have been known to Jesus. The verse is part of a comparison between the fates of the righteous and of the godless. The whole passage is much quoted. It does not seem to discuss the possibility of degrees of righteousness, nor every person's need for God's grace.

6   Ezekiel 36.25-6 A promise to the Israelites when they were scattered from their land, unworthy of God. For them to be regathered and enjoy national prosperity involves renewing of their hearts and minds by God's doing.

7   Haggai 2.7 This was written in the days of King Darius to encourage those who were rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. We can see it as a vision which looks beyond that time.