How to Do a Paragraph Analysis in Bible Study
The Bible is a sacred and complex book, full of history, poetry, proverbs, revelations of God and words of life and death. Studying the Bible doesn't have to be intimidating. Examine one paragraph at a time. With the proper tools and keen observational skills, you can learn how to analyze and interpret the Bible and grasp its profound truths.
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Things You'll Need
- Bible
- Bible dictionary
- Bible handbook
- Bible encyclopedia
- Bible concordance
- Notebook
Instructions
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Pray before beginning your study. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit guides the reader in understanding the Scriptures' true interpretation. Ask God to help you understand the passage you are studying. Psalm 119 offers appropriate opening prayers: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law," and "Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain."
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Choose a paragraph to study. Read the surrounding text in the previous and subsequent chapters to understand the context of the paragraph. Note the author or speaker and the audience to whom the passage is addressed. If you're not clear about the context, look it up in a Bible handbook, Bible encyclopedia or the introductory section of your Bible.
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Read the paragraph. Read it again. Observe contrasts and similarities. For example, the author might be contrasting pride and humility, sheep and goats, or darkness and light. Similarities might include characteristics of a shepherd, qualities of a fruitful tree or descriptions of heaven.
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Copy the paragraph into your notebook. Search for key words that are unfamiliar to you or repeated more than once. Look up these words in a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia and write down the definitions. Analyze how the definition sheds further light on the passage Write down your observations.
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Look up the key words in a concordance. An exhaustive concordance lists every Hebrew word in the Old Testament and every Greek word in the New Testament, and it provides nuances of definitions from the original languages. It also cross-references every word with all other verses in the Bible that include the same word. Record in your notebook any additional verses that help you to comprehend the passage.
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Read the same passage in another translation if you have more than one. Note any distinctions between the translations. Jot them down.
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Discover the personal life application in the passage. Seek examples to follow, errors to avoid, wrongs to correct, prayers to echo, encouraging promises and insights into God's character. Make the connection between the Bible and how it applies to your life. Write down your reflections, resolutions and prayers.
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Tips & Warnings
A Bible commentary, or a verse-by-verse interpretation can be helpful in Bible study. Many Bible study tools are accessible online at no charge.
Studying the Bible is a lifelong pursuit. If you can't complete the steps in one sitting, do so over a period of days.
References
Resources
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