Pastor David Theobald rejoiced with Ryan Corbett’s family in Texas as he returned home after being held captive by the Taliban for nearly 900 days. Theobald credited God’s timing for the safe release and joined the Corbetts in celebrating their long-awaited reunion.

Corbett, who was abducted in August 2022 while on a business trip and held by the Taliban for 894 days, reunited with his relatives in San Antonio, Texas, before planning to return to his hometown of Dansville in Livingston County, Spectrum News reported.

Corbett spent his first hours back on U.S. soil with close family members after his arrival early Wednesday morning. His family later issued a statement expressing their gratitude for his release and requesting privacy while he recovers from his prolonged detention.

Theobald, who leads Grace Baptist Church in the same community where Corbett’s father once served, described a lengthy period in which only a few individuals knew of Corbett’s initial capture.

“We had been walking with them through it for a year before they did that,” he said, referring to the day Corbett’s story became public. Theobald called the knowledge of Corbett’s situation a “huge responsibility,” explaining how church members kept the family’s struggle private until authorities made the case more widely known.

Theobald first met Corbett’s family 15 years ago when he took over pastoral duties from Corbett’s father.

The pastor said the church played an integral part in providing emotional support. “For months, the family fought in silence, only finding peace in the Grace Baptist Church community,” he told Spectrum News. He credited the family for staying involved in worship activities, noting that Corbett’s children sing, play instruments and assist in the sound booth.

Corbett’s wife, Anna, teaches violin and has also performed at church events.

Upon hearing about Corbett’s release, Theobald received a phone call from Anna. He said he could sense her joy “beaming through the phone.”

The pastor added, “I was just overwhelmed. I was trying to find words. I was trying not to ball like a baby. … I just rejoiced with her.”

Corbett’s release came as part of a swap in which an Afghan national convicted of drug smuggling and extremism in the U.S. was sent back to Afghanistan, according to Reuters.

The newswire cited a spokesman for the Taliban who said two Americans were released. The other American is William McKenty.

Corbett and McKenty were transferred through Qatar before returning home last week, CBS News reported.

Afghan Foreign Ministry officials said they had traded them for Khan Mohammed, who received two life sentences in a 2008 trial in the U.S., according to The Associated Press. Mohammed, 55, had been detained on the battlefield in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province and later flown to California, where he was found guilty of securing heroin and opium bound for the U.S. and, in doing so, aiding terrorist activities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on social media platform X that the Taliban might be holding more American hostages than publicly known. “If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders.”

The International Criminal Court prosecutor has filed applications for arrest warrants targeting two Taliban leaders, including supreme spiritual leader Haibatullah Akhundzada. The charges concern the alleged persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, which occurred soon after U.S. troops withdrew from the country, ending two decades of conflict.
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

Millions of people read the New Testament printed with the words of Jesus in red. Most people don’t realize that this is a relatively modern Evangelical tradition. This is the story …

Louis Klopsch

The idea was developed by a man called Louis Klopsch (1852-1910) who was born in Prussia on March 7, 1852. After his mother died in 1853, his father, Dr. Osmar Klopsch, took the family to the U.S. in 1854 and he was brought up in New York. Louis left school and worked in journalism rising through the ranks.

The Christian Herald

In 1874, a British weekly newspaper called The Christian Herald and Signs of Our Times was founded by Anglican clergyman the Rev. Michael Paget Baxter (1834-1910). He was popularly known as “Prophet Baxter” because of his frequent End Times predictions, and in the 1870s he supported Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey when they were in Britain.

In 1878, an American edition called The New York Christian Herald was started by Joseph Spurgeon, a cousin of the famous preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon, based at 63 Bible House, New York. In 1898 Louis Klopsch became the editor, and in 1899 ended up buying it to become its proprietor. In 1901 the New York Christian Herald was renamed The Christian Herald by which time it had grown to have a large cross-denominational readership peaking at nearly a quarter of a million.

Klopsch became a good friend to prominent Evangelical leaders at the time like Thomas De Witt Talmage, Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey. The Herald alerted readers to crises around the world and rallied Christian support for relief, raising huge sums for famines in Russia (1892), India (1897), Cuba (1898), Sweden and Finland (1903), and Japan (1906), as well as an earthquake in Italy in 1908. In 1904, Klopsch received the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal First Class for services in India from King Edward VII, and in 1907 he received the Order of the Rising Sun from the Emperor of Japan.

The inspiration

On June 19, 1899, Klopsch was working on an editorial when he read Luke 22:20 in the King James Version where Jesus said: “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” This gave him the idea of printing the very words of Jesus in the colour of blood, i.e. red.

Rubrication

The process of coloring some words in red, known as rubrication, was not in itself new. Klopsch may have been aware that rubrication had been common in medieval manuscript to emphasise certain passages, and was used to mark liturgical directions in Orthodox texts, but it was not the practice in printed Protestant Bibles. The ‘rubrication’ term comes from the Latin word ‘rubricare’ meaning to colour red, related to the word ruby.

At the time pretty much the only Bible translation in normal use was the Authorized or King James Version. This Bible dated back to a time before quotation marks were used as punctuation. Thus, in the KJV it was not obvious what was speech and what was not speech. Modern Bible versions now insert speech marks, but these did not exist in the King James Version, and so using red letters served a helpful purpose at the time.

First red letter Bible

Consulting various Bible scholars, Klopsch decided which parts to colour red. In 1899 the Christian Herald printed the first red letter New Testament, with a print run of 60,000. It was titled, “The New Testament … With All the Words Recorded Therein, as Having Been Spoken by Our Lord, Printed in Color.” This proved very popular, so in 1901, The Christian Herald printed the first red letter Bible titled “The Holy Bible: Red Letter Edition.”

In the 1901 Bible, Klopsch wrote: “The Red Letter Bible has been prepared and issued in the full conviction that it will meet the needs of the student, the worker, and the searchers after truth everywhere.” In the history of the Bible, this makes it a relatively modern innovation, and now it has become an Evangelical tradition.

Red sections

Some red letter Bible editions only include the words of Jesus in the four Gospels, but others also color sections in red in Acts and the epistles. For example some editions colour parts of Acts red where Jesus is quoted talking to Peter in Acts 10:13 and Acts 11:7 and 9, to Paul in Acts 10:15 and Acts 18:9-10, and where Jesus is quoted in Acts 11:16. Some editions also color red where Jesus is quoted at the Last Supper in 1 Corinthian 11:24-15 and where Jesus is quoted in 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Some Bibles color verses red in Revelation where John is spoken to in his vision e.g. Revelation 1:8, 11, 17-20 and the whole of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, Revelation 4:1, Revelation 16:15 and Revelation 22:12-13, 16 and 20.

Problems

However, there are a number of problems with red letter Bibles. One issue is that it implies to the reader that we know exactly where speech started and finished. In most cases it is clear, but sometimes it’s not. There was no punctuation or speech marks in the original Greek. Where to start and stop the red letters is the decision of the editor. As a result, not all red letter editions are the same, and different editions color different sections in red. For example in the third Chapter of John, scholars disagree as to whether Jesus ends His message at verse 15 or at verse 21.

The use of red letters can give the idea that the red text is more important than the black text which it sits in. For some people, this is like a canon within the canon. The danger is that red letter editions of the Bible serve to create the idea that one part of the New Testament is more important than others. It can give the idea that the words of Jesus in red are the primary text and the rest in black is secondary. The color of the text isn’t meant to elevate one section over another, although it might have that effect in some people’s minds. From a practical point of view, adding red ink makes the Bible more expensive to produce.

Advantages

For some people the idea of red letters for the words of Jesus is that it seems to honor Christ. The real advantages of red letter Bibles is in old versions like the King James Version which didn’t include speech marks, and so the red letters are helpful to quickly and easily identify the words of Jesus. For many people, it helps them to study by highlighting the words of Jesus.

On a practical level, looking at pages of black text is daunting. Modern Bibles break up the text into paragraphs and add sub-headings to make it easier to read and navigate. Adding color can also break up the page and make it visually more attractive and interesting.

Death

By the time that Louis Klopsch died in New York 1910, aged 57, his idea had already been copied. He has no large memorial, just a granite stone with a small plaque. His greatest memorial is that today many Bible publishers produce red letter editions.
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

വാഷിംഗ്ടൺ ഡി.സി: ഓരോ മനുഷ്യ ജീവനും ദൈവത്തിന്റെ ദാനവും അമൂല്യ സമ്മാനവുമാണെന്ന പ്രഘോഷണത്തോടെ അമേരിക്കയിലെ വാഷിംഗ്ടണില്‍ നടന്ന ‘മാര്‍ച്ച് ഫോര്‍ ലൈഫ്’ പ്രോലൈഫ് റാലിയില്‍ ലക്ഷങ്ങളുടെ പങ്കാളിത്തം. ഇന്നലെ വെള്ളിയാഴ്ച വാഷിംഗ്ടൺ ഡി.സി.യിലെ നാഷണൽ മാളിൽ നിന്ന് സുപ്രീം കോടതി പരിസരത്തേക്ക് നടന്ന 52-ാമത് വാർഷിക മാർച്ച് ഫോർ ലൈഫിനായി രാജ്യത്തിന്റെ വിവിധ ഭാഗങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്ന് മലയാളികള്‍ ഉള്‍പ്പെടെ പതിനായിരങ്ങള്‍ എത്തിച്ചേരുകയായിരിന്നു. കൻസാസ് സിറ്റി അതിരൂപതയിലെ ആർച്ച് ബിഷപ്പ് ജോസഫ് നൗമാൻ പ്രാർത്ഥന നയിച്ചു.

റെക്കോർഡ് ചെയ്ത വീഡിയോ സന്ദേശത്തിലൂടെ പുതിയ യു‌എസ് പ്രസിഡന്‍റ് ഡൊണാള്‍ഡ് ട്രംപ് സന്ദേശം നല്‍കിയപ്പോള്‍ വൈസ് പ്രസിഡൻ്റ് ജെഡി വാൻസ് നേരിട്ടു സന്ദേശം നല്‍കി. മാർച്ച് ഫോർ ലൈഫ് പ്രസിഡൻ്റ് ജെന്നി ബ്രാഡ്‌ലി ലിച്ചർ, ഫ്ലോറിഡ ഗവർണർ റോൺ ഡിസാന്‍റിസ്, നോർത്ത് ഡക്കോട്ടയിലെ സെനറ്റര്‍ ജോൺ തുൺ, ഹൗസ് സ്പീക്കർ മൈക്ക് ജോൺസൺ, ന്യൂജേഴ്‌സിയിലെ റിപ്പബ്ലിക്കൻ പ്രതിനിധി ക്രിസ് സ്മിത്ത് തുടങ്ങീ ഒട്ടേറെ പ്രമുഖരും ജീവന് വേണ്ടി സ്വരമുയര്‍ത്തി സന്ദേശം നല്‍കി.

റാലിയുടെ തലേന്ന് വ്യാഴാഴ്ച വാഷിംഗ്ടൺ ഡി.സി.യിലെ നാഷണൽ ഇമ്മാക്കുലേറ്റ് കൺസെപ്‌ഷന്‍ കത്തീഡ്രലില്‍ നടന്ന ജാഗരണ പ്രാര്‍ത്ഥനയില്‍ അയ്യായിരത്തിലധികം വിദ്യാർത്ഥികളും നൂറുകണക്കിന് കത്തോലിക്ക വിശ്വാസികളും പങ്കെടുത്തു. കൻസാസ് സിറ്റി ആർച്ച് ബിഷപ്പ് ജോസഫ് നൗമാൻ, പ്രാരംഭ ബലിയില്‍ മുഖ്യകാര്‍മ്മികത്വം വഹിച്ചു സന്ദേശം നല്‍കി. നാല് കർദ്ദിനാളുമാരും 21 ബിഷപ്പുമാരും ആര്‍ച്ച് ബിഷപ്പിനൊപ്പം വിശുദ്ധ കുർബാന അർപ്പിച്ചു. 50 ഡീക്കൻമാരും 300 സെമിനാരി വിദ്യാര്‍ത്ഥികളും നിരവധി സന്യസ്ഥരും സന്നിഹിതരായിരുന്നു.

ഗർഭഛിദ്രത്തിനെതിരെ വാഷിംഗ്ടണ്‍ ഡി.സിയിൽ എല്ലാവർഷവും നടത്തിവരാറുള്ള പ്രതിഷേധ റാലിയാണ് ‘മാർച്ച് ഫോർ ലൈഫ്’. ഡിഫെൻസ് ഫണ്ടിന്റേയും മാർച്ച് ഫോർ എഡ്യുക്കേഷന്റേയും സഹകരണത്തോടെയാണ് റാലി സംഘടിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്. ഭ്രൂണഹത്യ എന്ന മാരക തിന്മയ്ക്കെതിരെ നടക്കുന്ന ലോകത്തെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ പ്രോലൈഫ് റാലിയാണ് മാര്‍ച്ച് ഫോര്‍ ലൈഫ്. കത്തോലിക്ക സഭയില്‍ നിന്നു ഉള്‍പ്പെടെ വിവിധ ക്രൈസ്തവ സമൂഹങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്നുള്ള പ്രതിനിധികള്‍ റാലിയില്‍ പങ്കെടുക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. എല്ലാ വര്‍ഷവും റാലിയില്‍ നൂറുകണക്കിന് മലയാളികളും അണിനിരക്കുന്നുണ്ട്.
 http://theendtimeradio.com

Tens of thousands of pro-lifers showed up in our nation’s capital for the 52nd annual March for Life on Friday, to celebrate the sanctity of life and renew their commitment to fight for the unborn.

This year the event feature[d] prominent leaders, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vice President JD Vance who [made] his first public appearance since being inaugurated. [President Trump addressed the crowd via video]

This week, the pro-life movement held a prayer vigil at the steps of the Supreme Court, once a focal point in the fight against Roe v. Wade, honoring the 3,000 lives lost to abortion daily.

“Any woman pregnant that can hear my voice—every child is created in the image of God and every child is a wanted child,” said one participant, speaking prayerfully to those impacted by abortion.

Despite the overturning of Roe, abortion persists at a rate exceeding 900,000 lives annually, with 10 more states codifying abortion rights. That’s why thousands still march each January to remind the country of the battle that remains.

“We march to end abortion. We march for both mom and baby,” said one March for Life demonstrator. “I just want every single baby to be valued, and every single woman to know she’s important and loved.”

Jennie Bradley Lichter, incoming president of March for Life, was a key figure in shaping pro-life policy during the first Trump administration. She highlighted the importance of this year’s movement as she welcomed support from leaders like Vice President Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Together, they’re trying to advance legislation like the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

“If a child in a botched abortion is actually delivered instead of destroyed in the womb, what happens to that child?” asked Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma in a video posted on “X.” While Senate Democrats blocked the measure, the House passed its own version of the bill.

Additionally, President Trump pardoned 23 pro-life activists prosecuted under the FACE Act during the Biden administration.

“Twenty-three people were prosecuted,” Trump said. “They should not have been prosecuted. Many, many of them are elderly people. They should not have been prosecuted. This is a great honor to sign this. They’ll be very happy because they’re all in prison.”

Katie Glenn Daniel with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America told CBN’s Faith Nation, “These pardons are a first step back to seeing the government switch away from persecuting pro-lifers.”

Students from Regent University’s Students for Life chapter joined the march, boarding buses early Friday morning to head to DC and make their voices heard. For many, the march represents more than a protest—it’s a continued fight for life.

“It’s meaningful for us because not only is it an opportunity to fight for the unborn who can’t speak for themselves, but also to spread the Gospel,” said Emanuel Mireles, a Regent student.

Candace Truhlar, another Regent student, added, “This organization emphasizes the fundamental truth that life begins at conception… we are all children of God.”

Lichter echoed the importance of supporting women to choose life. “Even in states with very permissive abortion laws, we could see the numbers go down if more and more women are supported to choose life for their baby,” she said.

As thousands continue to march each January, their presence reminds the nation of the ongoing battle to protect life.