Unscramble the letters -- COLOSSIANS Quiz

Answer: Cain

Cain is the correct answer. Abel was born second and was followed by Seth.

Genesis 4:1, in the NIV Bible, states: "Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, 'With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man'."

Cain, of course, would go on to earn the distinction of being the world's first murderer when he killed Abel, as per the fourth chapter of Genesis.

Answer: soil

The correct word is 'soil' (although the NKJV uses the word 'dust', that word cannot be formed from the given letters, and the question specifies the wording of the NIV). The speaker in this case is Eliphaz, one of Job's friends. Eliphaz, along with Bildad and Zophar, attempted to console Job after his world was turned upside down and inside out due to a series of calamities. A fourth friend, Elihu, appears in the 32nd chapter of Job. Their conversations with Job comprise a major portion of the book. And while the friends had intended to comfort Job, it appears they only succeeded in making things worse with their pointing of fingers.

The following verse, Job 5:7, is a classic. In the NIV Bible, it states: "Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward."

Answer: lion

This gem, one would think, would be found in Proverbs. However, Ecclesiastes also abounds with witty remarks and sage advice. And this only makes sense as many theologians believe King Solomon had a major hand in the writing of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible offer this view of the verse: "In this verse, Solomon uses a proverb that says a living lowly creature is preferable to a dead exalted creature. The point is that death is not the absolute end of all things; instead, the point is that while there is life, there is hope of doing something to the glory of God."

Answer: nails

Thomas, one of the Twelve Disciples, made the statement after others reported seeing a resurrected Christ following His crucifixion. Thomas stubbornly refused to believe the reports and has earned the nickname 'Doubting Thomas' and 'Thomas the Doubter'. Details about Jesus appearing to Thomas after the crucifixion are found in the 20th chapter of John.

After Thomas put his finger in the wounds on Christ's hands, and his hand in the wounds on Christ's side, John 20:28 quotes the disciple as proclaiming "My Lord and my God."

Verse 29 goes on to quote Jesus as saying: "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Answer: oil

The verse, of course, is part of the Psalm that is commonly known as 'The Lord is My Shepherd'. Psalm 23 was written by King David and is perhaps the best known Psalm. I couldn't resist the temptation to run it in it's entirety:

The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

Answer: Son

John 3:16 is perhaps the best known verse in the New Testament and serves as the cornerstone of the evangelical Christian movement. Jesus made the statement while speaking with Nicodemus, a Pharisee. During the conversation, Jesus is quoted as saying "unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

Answer: coins

Luke 15:8 is part of the Parable of the Lost Coin. Immediately before it, appears the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Right after the Parable of the Lost Coin appears the Parable of the Prodigal Son, arguably the most popular parable in the New Testament. The three parables appear in only the Gospel of Luke.

Answer: loan

The correct word is 'loan'. Notes in the NJKJV Study Bible state Ezekiel 18:14-17 is about the grandson of a righteous man, choosing to imitate his righteous grandfather rather than sinful father.

To put things in perspective, here's how Ezekiel 18:14-17 reads in the NKJV Bible:
"If, however, he begets a son
Who sees all the sins which his father has done,
And considers but does not do likewise;
Who has not eaten on the mountains,
Nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor defiled his neighbor's wife;
Has not oppressed anyone,
Nor withheld a pledge,
Nor robbed by violence,
But has given his bread to the hungry
And covered the naked with clothing;
Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor
And not received usury or increase,
But has executed My judgments
And walked in My statutes --
He shall not die for the iniquity of his father;
He shall surely live!"

Answer: loss

The passage was written by Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to state about the word 'loss' in this particular verse: "This word (loss) indicates that which is damaged or of no further use. Those things that Paul thought to be important became unimportant after confronting the resurrected Messiah."

Answer: sins

Colossians was written by Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, and was addressed to believers in the early church at Colosse, a community in present-day Turkey. It is believed by many theologians he wrote the book around 60 A.D., while imprisoned in Rome.

Paul is credited with writing 13 books in the New Testament, and in the order the books appear, Colossians is No. 7. It is preceded by Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. It is followed by 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon.

The book of Colossians was apparently written to deal with "doctrinal heresy that was creeping into the Colossian church", according to notes in the NKJV Study Bible. The notes also indicate there are a number of similarities between Colossians and Ephesians, another book written by Paul.