15 Verses Every Catholic Should Know
Fifteen months ago today — at the Easter Vigil on April 7, 2007 — I was formally received into full communion with the Catholic Church. In honor of this milestone, here are some scripture passages that helped me on my journey from Protestantism to Catholicism:
15 Bible Verses Every Catholic Should Know
- 2 Thessalonians 2:15 - We are told to hold to the traditions, whether taught by word of mouth or by letter. This goes against the Protestant ideas of sola scriptura (scripture alone as the final authority) and that all forms of tradition are bad (Christ only condemned certain traditions of men in Matthew 15:3 and Mark 7:9, not all types of tradition).
- James 2:24 - We are justified by works and not by faith alone. This opposes the Protestant idea of justification by faith alone, or sola fide.
- Philippians 2:12 - We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; instead of simply having faith alone (sola fide), we are to be active participants, cooperating with God’s grace in our salvation.
- 2 Peter 3:15-16 - Scripture is not clear or easily understood, and it can easily be twisted to support false doctrine. We are told that Paul’s letters contain things that are hard to understand, which contradicts the Protestant concept of the perspicuity (clearness) of scripture.
- Romans 11:22 - We must continue in God’s kindness or we will be cut off (i.e., we can lose our salvation). This verse goes against the teaching of some Protestants, such as Calvinists, who say that believers cannot lose their salvation. (Note that other Protestants, like Wesleyans and Arminians, agree with Catholics that a believer can lose their salvation.)
- John 3:5 - We must be born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. Being born of water means baptism: a point reinforced in John 3:22 when the Jesus and the apostles begin baptizing.
- 1 Peter 3:21 - baptism…now saves you (baptism is regenerative, not merely a symbol)
- Colossians 1:24 - A believer’s sufferings are in some way combined with Christ’s afflictions (”complete what is lacking”) and can be applied to benefit other believers (i.e., “for your sake” and “for the sake of…the church”).
- Revelation 12:1 - Mary is depicted in heaven bodily (supporting the bodily assumption of Mary) and wearing a crown (supporting the idea that Mary is queen of heaven). (That this woman is Mary is clear from Revelation 12:5…she gives birth to the Messiah.)
- Revelation 12:17 - Mary is the mother of all believers
- 1 Corinthians 4:15 - Paul tells his readers, “I became your father in Christ through the gospel.” This supports the practice of Catholics calling their priests “Father”. (Protestants sometimes use Matthew 23:9 to claim that calling a priest Father goes against Christ’s teachings.)
- Acts 1:20,25-26 - Apostolic succession; Matthias takes Judas’ apostolic ministry (”bishoprick” in the KJV).
- 2 Timothy 2:2 - Apostolic succession: Christ’s teachings were given to Paul, who taught Timothy, who is to teach faithful men, who then are to teach others.
- John 6:53-56 - The real presence of Christ in the Eucharist (see the entire Bread of Life discourse in John 6:35-71).
- 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 - Concomitance: the body and blood are present in both the bread and the cup. If you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, you sin against both the body and the blood of Christ.
15Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle.
3But he answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For God said:
9And he said to them: Well do you make void the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.
12Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.
15And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you:
16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction.
22See then the goodness and the severity of God: towards them indeed that are fallen, the severity; but towards thee, the goodness of God, if thou abide in goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
5Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
22After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea: and there he abode with them, and baptized.
21Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
24Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church:
1And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars:
5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne.
17And the dragon was angry against the woman: and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
15For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten you.
9And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.
20For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein. And his bishopric let another take.
25To take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place.
26And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
2And the things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the same commend to faithful men, who shall be fit to teach others also.
53The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
54Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.
55He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
56For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.
35And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.
36But I said unto you, that you also have seen me, and you believe not.
37All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will not cast out.
38Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39Now this is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again in the last day.
40And this is the will of my Father that sent me: that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have life everlasting, and I will raise him up in the last day.
41The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
42And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then saith he, I came down from heaven?
43Jesus therefore answered, and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves.
44No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day.
45It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to me.
46Not that any man hath seen the Father; but he who is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life.
48I am the bread of life.
49Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead.
50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die.
51I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
52If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world.
53The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
54Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.
55He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
56For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.
57He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him.
58As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.
59This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live for ever.
60These things he said, teaching in the synagogue, in Capharnaum.
61Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard, and who can hear it?
62But Jesus, knowing in himself, that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you?
63If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
64It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life.
65But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning, who they were that did not believe, and who he was, that would betray him.
66And he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.
67After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him.
68Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?
69And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
70And we have believed and have known, that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.
71Jesus answered them: Have not I chosen you twelve; and one of you is a devil?
27Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.
28But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice.
29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.
One response so far
I really appreciate learning about how our protestant brothers and sisters find their way home to the Catholic Church. Many have been instrumental in my “reversion” to my faith. I think it saddens the Lord that there is such division in His church. I often wonder what mass would be like if we had a bunch of evangelicals in the pews with their zeal for the faith. Man, would that liven things up a bit!
Many catholics of my generation (I’m 45) have been poorly catechized. And it is true that many of us followed the basic precepts (Mass on Sunday, & Holy Days, confession once a year, etc.) but didn’t know our faith or really know the Lord.
The more I learn about my faith, the more I love it, and therefore, the more I love God. Thanks for taking the time to share parts of your journey. I look forward to reading more.
Ormond Beach Kevin