What was the purpose for miracles?

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—

All Israel, here what we say: You know that Jesus of Nazareth was a man proven to be from God through the miracles he performed in your midst by the power of God.

Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost.

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

After speaking with them (the apostles), Jesus was taken up to heaven, sitting at the right hand of God. And they went out preaching the good news while the Lord worked with them and confirmed their message by accompanying signs.

The closing statement of the gospel of Mark following a summary of final events after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into Heaven.

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;

Paul will speak only of what Christ accomplished through him to bring the Gentiles to obedience, by word and deed, signs and wonders, and the Spirit's power. He accomplished preaching the gospel of Christ throughout the region.

Paul has made the case that the gospel is for all – Jew and Gentile – and that all are in Christ through the obedience of faith. Paul referred to himself as the “apostle to the Gentiles” in the previous chapter.

For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

If the message declared through angels proved reliable and every transgression and disobedience received just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such great salvation? The Lord first declared this salvation, those who heard Him attested it to us, and God confirmed their witness through signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.

The Hebrews letter is all about holding firm to the gospel message and showing why it was better than what the Jewish Christian had left behind (the Mosaic law). In the opening of this letter, the writer is reminding of Jesus’ superiority over the angels (chapter 1).

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus in the night and stated that “we” knew that He was from God because of the miracles He performed.

The early days of Jesus’ public ministry.

The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

The signs of a true apostle were patiently performed among you through signs, wonders, and mighty works.

In his second letter to the young church in Corinth, Paul must defend his apostleship against what he calls “super-apostles” – false teachers discrediting the gospel message and Paul’s authority.

But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.

My testimony is greater than John's (the Baptist's). For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish I am doing and they testify to the fact that the Father sent me.

Jesus is in Jerusalem and healing on the Sabbath day and stating that He was the son of God. “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (v 18) Here Jesus is differentiating between the testimony of His work coming not only from John the Baptist (a man), but God Himself.

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise, take up your bed and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—he said to the paralytic— I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.

What is easier to say to the paralytic – your sins are forgiven or rise and walk? In order that you know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, I have healed him by saying rise and walk.

Jesus has returned home (vs 1) and is brought a paralytic to heal. After witnessing their faith (vs 5), He tells him his sins are forgiven. This caused some to accuse him of blasphemy (vs 7), acknowledging that only God can forgive sins.

Parallel accounts are in Matthew 9:1-8 and Luke:5:17-26.

But the Lord said to Moses, Put out your hand and catch it by the tail—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.

God said to Moses, “Put out your hand and pick it [serpent] up by the tail.” So he did, and it returned to a staff. “Do this that they may believe that the God of their fathers has appeared to you.”

God is commissioning Moses to petition Pharaoh for the peoples’ release from Egypt. Moses objects that the people will not believe him, so God gives him signs (vss 1-9). Moses then objects that he is not a good speaker, and God gives him Aaron as his spokesman (vss 10-17).

And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Many more believed because of His word. They said to the woman that they no longer believed because of what she said but because of His word and they knew He was the Savior of the world.

Jesus teaches the woman at the well, a Samaritan. She went to town and told many of His miracle to her – knowing all that she ever did (vs 39).

And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”

The woman told Elijah that she believed he was a man from God and that the words he spoke were truly from God.

The great prophet Elijah has just raised a woman’s son from the dead.

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

While at Cana in Galilee, Jesus did the first of many miracles which manifested his glory. And as a result, his disciples believed him.

Jesus has just performed His first public miracle where he turned water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana.

For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?

Consider the past days you’ve been told about and compare them with all you’ve known going back to the beginning, when God created man. In all the earth and heavens, have you ever heard of anything greater? Have any people heard God's voice speaking from fire and remained alive?

Moses is retelling the Law given to him by God on Mt Sinai. This is to a new generation of people after the forty years of wandering in the wilderness and just before entering the Promised Land. Specifically, Moses recalls to their minds (vs 12) God speaking at Mount Sinai and the giving of the Law (Exodus 19-20).

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Jesus did many other signs not recorded here but with the witness of the disciples. The signs recorded were for you to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and because of your belief have life in His name.

Jesus has risen and demonstrated His complete bodily resurrection after appearing to many of them including Mary (vs 15) and the apostles (19) and finally to Thomas (vss 24-29).

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

And now Lord [God, the Father], observe their [Jewish leaders] threats and give your servants [apostles] continued boldness to proclaim your word, while you confirm it with miracles performed by the authority of your holy servant Jesus.

Peter and John have just been released from prison (vs 3) and standing trail before the Jewish council of leaders (vs 5) after preaching and healing a lame man (chapter 3). Having returned to the disciples in Jerusalem (vs 23), they are offering a prayer (vs 24) for their continued safety and boldness.

So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

[Paul and Barnabas] remained there [in Iconium] for quite a while boldly speaking as messengers of God, who also participated by bearing witness to the word of His grace by granting that miracles be done by their hands.

Paul, with Barnabas, is completing his first missionary journey throughout the region of Galatia (covering chapters 13-14).

At Iconium many believe after they speak in the synagogue, but opposition arises (vss 1-2). The following verses describe a divided city and their flight after a plot to stone them (vss 4-7).