Digital Verbum Edition
The turning point in St. Augustine’s life came when the emptiness within drove him to cry out to God in anguish. As if in answer, he heard children singing “tolle lege,” “take and read.” Receiving the words as a command, he opened a book containing the epistles of St. Paul and read the first passage that he saw. In that moment, he heard the Word of God afresh, as a message intended for him, as a Word spoken to his heart. Augustine had heard the Scriptures many times before, but until that night they had not moved him to embrace the love of God. It was a decisive turning point in his life, a conversion in which he turned his life over to his Lord.
In reflection on St. Augustine’s experience, we have named this Catholic edition of the Bible The Augustine Bible—thus affirming that we too can turn our hearts to the Lord every time we “take and read” God’s Word. All we need to do is to recognize the Scriptures for what they are: a personal message from God, who made us and loves us.
Genesis 3:15: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Proverbs 3:5–7: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Matthew 21:20–22: When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Matthew 28:18–20: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
John 1:14: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Romans 8:16–17: The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Galatians 2:19–21: For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Ephesians 2:4–10: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, …
Philippians 2:4–11: Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, …
Philippians 4:4–9: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. …
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Andreas Werten
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