![]() ![]() This is not just an important component of effective Bible study, but helpful in other areas as well. It is an important like-skill that will provide experience in close reading and build the ability to think critically. John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. If you’re using Bible software (or an e-reader) that permits you to format the text display, choose “paragraph with space.” A Bible that displays its text in paragraphs reinforces the idea of reading every verse in context. I recommend people use a Bible that groups verses into their natural paragraphs, rather than separate verses. In fact, the best way to think contextually about the Bible is to think in paragraphs, rather than verses. If one wants to understand a specific sentence (or verse), the place to start is the paragraph in which it is found. They are logical units of thought, defined by Merriam-Webster, asĪ subdivision of a written composition that consists of one or more sentences, deals with one point or gives the words of one speaker, and begins on a new usually indented lineĪs such, they are essential for understanding the meaning of the sentences (or verses) they contain. The unfortunate side effect of this decision was that many readers began treating each verse separately, ignoring its immediate context. The Geneva Bible (1599) was the first to begin each verse on a separate line, a practice that the KJV (1611) adopted. Chapters and verses are modern innovations, added a bit at a time beginning in the mid-13th century, a reference system added to help people find specific passages easier. The key to understanding what the Bible says is to read it as it was first written, paragraph-by-paragraph.Įach book of the Bible, written in its original Hebrew and Greek, was organized into paragraphs. It is certainly not the same as understanding what the Bible has to say about an issue. That process is fine if all one wants to do is justify one’s own preconceived ideas and behavior. You’ve probably noticed that people can prove just about anything from the Bible, if they are willing to rip verses-or portions of verses-out of context and apply them willy-nilly. Worse yet, they imply that each verse can be interpreted on its own, without reference to what came before or after it. These things, and many others, convey the erroneous idea that every Bible verse is independent of the rest. The paragraph, not the verse, is the fundamental unit of interpretation in the Bible.Įver seen one of those boxes of Bible “promise cards”? Or memorize a Sunday School verse? Do you use a Bible (like the KJV) that separates each verse into its own little paragraph, beginning each verse on a separate line? Jenney reminds us that the paragraph, not the verse, is the fundamental unit of interpretation in the Bible. In this primer on reading the Bible in context, Timothy J. You may also be interested in the Stong’s KJV Bible Concordance which is the most complete, easy-to-use, and understandable concordance for studying the original languages of the Bible.Bible promise cards, memorizing verses, and KJV translations have all led us to mistakenly believe that every verse is independent from the rest. You can browse the KJV Bible verses by using the chapters listed below, or use our Bible search feature at the top of this page. The 1769 edition is most commonly cited as the King James Version (KJV). Several versions of the King James Bible (KJV) were produced in 1611,1629, 1638, 1762, and 1769. The KJV Old Testament was translated from the Masoretic Hebrew text, and the Apocrypha was translated from the Greek Septuagint. However, the majority of the book of Revelation seems to have been translated from the Latin Vulgate. The KJV New Testament was translated from the Textus Receptus. It was translated by the Church of England and was first published in 1611. The King James Version Bible (KJV) was authorized by King James I and is sometimes referred to as the “Authorized Version”. The KJV is the first version of Scripture authorized by the Protestant church and commissioned by England's King James I. ![]()
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