Public Reading of Scripture

It is most appropriate to begin public proclamation with scripture. Only then does preaching follow after. People need to hear God's word, not my opinion. Always after reading am I assisted mightily in power and in spirit. I have, in the course of my meager experience, compiled different portions of scripture that present the gospel in a linear fashion, so that it forms a singular paragraph and a consistent train of thought. Reading it alone is equivalent to preaching.

If you have been given the heart to take the gospel to the lost but are afraid of preaching, I highly encourage you to read scripture. Anyone who can read can do this. If you want to kill the flesh, reading scripture in public is one of the best ways to accomplish this. But then again, keep in mind that carrying the gospel has a high price. Not one of perfection, but a sincere striving towards purity and holiness. If you have no desire in yourself to practice what you preach, or read in this matter, then it's best not to do so. You cannot preach what you do not practice.

************************

Here is my scripture list, to be read in one continuous flow. I do not read the book, chapter, and verse. It is there mainly as a guide.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.  John 3:16-21

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.  

1 John 5:12

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.  John 3:36

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:17,20

(Paraphrased) The Lord said, Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? And not rather that he should turn from his way and live? Ezekiel 18:23

As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die? Ezekiel 33:11

Hear the word of the LORD, O (insert the name of place or city I am pleading with), for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also turn my back to you. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:1,6

Because I have called and you refused to listen, I have stretched out my hand and no one has noticed, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster. Proverbs 1:24-33

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17

God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this, he has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead. Acts 17:30-31

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

(Jesus said,) I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25-26

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  

1 Timothy 2:5

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

In this next particular instance, I lifted current events at that time I made this wherein people can relate to, as opposed to reading the verse word for word. I paraphrased it to accommodate the listener's interest but remained faithful to the context. You can change it to any similar event that people can compare themselves to:

Do you think those rebels who killed our soldiers in Mindanao are more evil than you? No! Unless you come before the Lord broken and repentant, you will join those rebels in hell. Do you you think people who rape and murder children are more evil than you? No! Unless you come before the Lord broken and repentant, you will join those beasts in the fire that never dies. Luke 13:1-5

Thus I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that Jesus the Christ is Lord and Savior, you will die in your sins. John 8:24

(I paraphrased this verse as well, adding specific sins that God hates elsewhere in scripture, applied in modern times) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: those with inappropriate thoughts, words, and actions, those who are sexually immoral, those who worship graven images, those who idolize people and accomplishments, those who sleep with people outside of marriage, nor men who practice homosexuality, those who abuse their bodies, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, those who swear and cuss, those who make vows they do not intend to keep, those who are angry without cause, those who gossip, and extortionists; these people will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 

Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy. Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Revelation 22:11-13 

(  I repeat these for emphasis )

Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

(Jesus said,) I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25-26 

I pray you find this helpful. May the LORD send more laborers into His harvest.
Take thy glory LORD.