Curated semantic-search results from the Bible and early Jewish and Christian writings.
These passages are drawn from a current, full-corpus deep search.
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Best matchTestament of Zebulun 2:1–3
7/10 · strong
1 AND now children, I you (sic) to keep the commands of the Lord, and to show mercy to your neighbours, and to have compassion towards all, not towards men only, but also towards beasts. (T12) 2 For all this thing's sake the Lord blessed me, and when all my brethren were sick, I escaped without sickness, for the Lord knoweth the purposes of each. (T12) 3 Have, therefore, compassion in your hearts, my children, because even as a man doeth to his neighbour, even so also will the Lord do to him. (T12)
4 Maccabees 14:13–20
5/10 · good
13 Consider how comprehensive is the love of offspring, which draws every one to sympathy of affection, (WEB) 14 where irrational animals possess a similar sympathy and love for their offspring with men. (WEB) 15 The tame birds frequenting the roofs of our houses defend their fledglings. (WEB) 16 Others build their nests and hatch their young on the tops of mountains, in the precipices of valleys, and the holes and tops of trees, and keep intruders away. (WEB) 17 If not able to do this, they fly circling round them in agony of affection, calling out in their own note, and save their offspring in whatever manner they are able. (WEB) 18 But why should we point attention to the sympathy toward children shown by irrational animals? (WEB) 19 Even bees, at the season of honey-making, attack all who approach, and pierce with their sting, as with a sword, those who draw near their hive, and repel them even to death. (WEB) 20 But sympathy with her children didn’t turn away the mother of the young men, who had a spirit kindred with that of Abraham. (WEB)
Testament of Zebulun 2:15–24
6/10 · good
15 I saw a man in distress through nakedness in wintertime, and had compassion upon him, and stole away a garment secretly from my father's house, and gave it to him who was in distress. (T12) 16 Do you, therefore, my children, from that which God bestoweth upon you, show compassion and mercy without hesitation to all men, and give to every man with a good heart. (T12) 17 And if ye have not the wherewithal to give to him that needeth, have compassion for him in bowels of mercy. (T12) 18 I know that my hand found not the wherewithal to give to him that needed, and I walked with him weeping for seven furlongs, and my bowels yearned towards him in compassion. (T12) 19 Have, therefore, yourselves also, my children, compassion towards every man with mercy, that the Lord also may have compassion and mercy upon you. (T12) 20 Because also in, the last days God will send His compassion on the earth, and wheresoever He findeth bowels of mercy He dwelleth in him. (T12) 21 For in the degree in which a man hath compassion upon his neighbours, in the same degree hath the Lord also upon him. (T12) 22 And when we went down into Egypt, Joseph bore no malice against us. (T12) 23 To whom taking heed, do ye also, my children, approve yourselves without malice, and love one another; and do not set down in account, each one of you, evil against his brother. (T12) 24 For this breaketh unity and divideth all kindred, and troubleth the soul, and weareth away the countenance. (T12)
4 Maccabees 1:24–35
4/10 · fair
24 Wrath is an affection, common to pleasure and to pain, if any one will pay attention when it comes upon him. (WEB) 25 There exists in pleasure a malicious disposition, which is the most complex of all the affections. (WEB) 26 In the soul, it is arrogance, love of money, thirst for honor, contention, faithlessness, and the evil eye. (WEB) 27 In the body, it is greediness, indiscriminate eating, and solitary gluttony. (WEB) 28 As pleasure and pain are, therefore, two growths out of the body and the soul, so there are many offshoots of these emotions. (WEB) 29 Reasoning, the universal farmer, purging and pruning each of these, tying up, watering, and transplanting, in every way improves the materials of the morals and affections. (WEB) 30 For reasoning is the leader of the virtues, but it is the sole ruler of the emotions. Observe then first, through the very things which stand in the way of temperance, that reasoning is absolute ruler of the emotions. (WEB) 31 Now temperance consists of a command over the lusts. (WEB) 32 But of the lusts, some belong to the soul and others to the body. Reasoning appears to rule over both. (WEB) 33 Otherwise, how is it that when urged on to forbidden meats, we reject the gratification which would come from them? Isn’t it because reasoning is able to command the appetites? I believe so. (WEB) 34 Hence it is, then, that when craving seafood, birds, four-footed animals, and all kinds of food which are forbidden to us by the law, we withhold oursel… (WEB)
2 Enoch 59:1–6
4/10 · fair
1 WHOEVER defiles the soul of beasts, defiles his own soul. (2EN) 2 For man brings clean animals to make sacrifice for sin, that he may have cure of his soul. (2EN) 3 And if they bring for sacrifice clean animals, and birds, man has cure, he cures his soul. (2EN) 4 All is given you for food, bind it by the four feet, that is to make good the cure, he cures his soul. (2EN) 5 But whoever kills beast without wounds, kills his own soul and defiles his own flesh. (2EN) 6 And he who does any beast any injury whatsoever, in secret, it is evil practice, and he defiles his own soul. (2EN)
4 Maccabees 2:13–24
4/10 · fair
13 Don’t think it is a strange assertion that reasoning can on behalf of the law conquer even enmity. (WEB) 14 It doesn’t allow cutting down the fruit trees of an enemy, but preserves them from the destroyers, and collects their fallen ruins. (WEB) 15 Reason appears to be master of the more violent emotions, like love of empire, empty boasting, and slander. (WEB) 16 For the temperate understanding repels all these malignant emotions, as it does wrath; for it masters even this. (WEB) 17 Thus Moses, when angered against Dathan and Abiram, did nothing to them in wrath, but regulated his anger by reasoning. (WEB) 18 For the temperate mind is able, as I said, to be superior to the emotions, and to correct some and destroy others. (WEB) 19 For why else did our most wise father Jacob blame Simeon and Levi for having irrationally slain the whole race of the Shechemites, saying, “Cursed be their anger!”? (WEB) 20 For if reasoning didn’t possess the power of subduing angry affections, he would not have said this. (WEB) 21 For at the time when God created man, he implanted within him his emotions and moral nature. (WEB) 22 At that time he enthroned the mind above all as the holy leader, through the medium of the senses. (WEB) 23 He gave a law to this mind, by living according to which it will maintain a temperate, just, good, and courageous reign. (WEB) 24 How, then, a man may say, if reasoning is master of the emotions, has it no control over forgetfulness and ignorance? (WEB)
1 Clement 14:1–3
5/10 · good
1 Therefore it is right and proper, brethren, that we should be obedient unto God, rather than follow those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy. (1CL) 2 For we shall bring upon us no common harm, but rather great peril, if we surrender ourselves recklessly to the purposes of men who launch out into strife and seditions, so as to estrange us from that which is right. (1CL) 3 Let us be good one towards another according to the compassion and sweetness of Him that made us. For it is written: (1CL)
Polycarp to the Philippians 6:1–3
5/10 · good
1 And the presbyters also must be compassionate, merciful towards all men, turning back the sheep that are gone astray, visiting all the infirm, not neglecting a widow or an orphan or a poor man: but providing always for that which is honorable in the sight of God and of men , abstaining from all anger, respect of persons, unrighteous judgment, being far from all love of money, not quick to believe anything against any man, not hasty in judgment, knowing that we all are debtors of sin. (POL) 2 If then we entreat the Lord that He would forgive us, we also ought to forgive: for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and we must all stand at the judgment-seat of Christ , and each man must give an account of himself . (POL) 3 Let us therefore so serve Him with fear and all reverence, as He himself gave commandment and the Apostles who preached the Gospel to us and the prophets who proclaimed beforehand the coming of our Lord; being zealous as touching that which is good, abstaining from offenses and from the false brethren and from them that bear the name of the Lord in hypocrisy, who lead foolish men astray. (POL)
Sirach 18:11–14
3/10 · fair
11 For this cause the Lord was patient over them, and poured out his mercy upon them. (WEB) 12 He saw and perceived their end, that it is evil. Therefore he multiplied his forgiveness. (WEB) 13 The mercy of a man is on his neighbor; but the mercy of the Lord is on all flesh: reproving, chastening, teaching, and bringing back, as a shepherd does his flock. (WEB) 14 He has mercy on those who accept chastening, and that diligently seek after his judgments. (WEB)
4 Maccabees 2:1–12
4/10 · fair
1 Is it any wonder? If the lusts of the soul, after participation with what is beautiful, are frustrated, (WEB) 2 on this ground, therefore, the temperate Joseph is praised in that by reasoning, he subdued, on reflection, the indulgence of the senses. (WEB) 3 For, although young, and ripe for sexual intercourse, he nullified by reasoning the stimulus of his emotions. (WEB) 4 It isn’t merely the stimulus of sensual indulgence, but that of every desire, that reasoning is able to master. (WEB) 5 For instance, the law says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (WEB) 6 Now, then, since it is the law which has forbidden us to desire, I shall much the more easily persuade you, that reasoning is able to govern our lusts, just as it does the affections which are impediments to justice. (WEB) 7 Since in what way is a solitary eater, a glutton, and a drunkard reclaimed, unless it is clear that reasoning is lord of the emotions? (WEB) 8 Therefore, a man who regulates his course by the law, even if he is a lover of money, immediately puts pressure on his own disposition by lending to the needy without interest, and cancelling the debt on the seventh year. (WEB) 9 If a man is greedy, he is ruled by the law acting through reasoning, so that he doesn’t glean his harvest crops or vintage. In reference to other points we may perceive that it is reasoning that conquers his emotions. (WEB) 10 For the law conquers even affection… (WEB) 11 … (WEB)