Resources for Bible Understanding
- Thread starter CherieR
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Bible Hub is pretty good for different english versions.
Mostly I found that reading a passage (not just one verse or sentence) I am able to figure out the meaning from the context.
For background knowledge I found Bible for Dummies helpful
for someone whos very new to the Bible, an overview or intro like Field Guide to the Bible is good.
Some Bibles have commentaries, but its not a good idea to solely rely on them too much. Because they are just mens opinions.
If its just words that are giving you trouble, a Bible dictionary is helpful. Some Bibles have a glossary at the back. But there are Bibles that are actually 'easy to read' versions or paraphrases.
The other thing is to pray and ask God! You may not always get something on the first read through. Thats ok Just Spend some time reading and meditating on what you read every day.
Mostly I found that reading a passage (not just one verse or sentence) I am able to figure out the meaning from the context.
For background knowledge I found Bible for Dummies helpful
for someone whos very new to the Bible, an overview or intro like Field Guide to the Bible is good.
Some Bibles have commentaries, but its not a good idea to solely rely on them too much. Because they are just mens opinions.
If its just words that are giving you trouble, a Bible dictionary is helpful. Some Bibles have a glossary at the back. But there are Bibles that are actually 'easy to read' versions or paraphrases.
The other thing is to pray and ask God! You may not always get something on the first read through. Thats ok Just Spend some time reading and meditating on what you read every day.
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Hi Cherie,
Have you read it all the way through yourself yet? Asking The Holy Spirit to guide you?
I second the Bible Gateway recommendation. It's great for reading translations in parallel.
Like this https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=NET,CSB
You can choose from many translations.
The New English Translation has a lot of language notes.
I would recommend finding some good Bible maps & a Bible dictionary.
BG has an online dictionary. https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionaries/
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Commentaries are the best, but you need a few for each Bible book. A Lexicon (Bauer-BDAG) is best. But you need to learn the Greek alphabet. Learning Greek helps, but not necessary.
I have access to so many resources, but I also paid for them. I would be careful with internet sites. Biblegateway.com is a collection of 150 Bibles. I use the NET Bible, & Biblegateway.com has all the footnotes. But that is not enough for what you are asking. HCSB has a lot of good comments, a history of each book, and what was going on at the time it was written.
A good book to read, is "How to Read The Bible For All Its Worth" by Gordon Fee. He introduces genre, style and a lot of good info about basic Bible principles. He's a Greek Bible translator.
I hope that helps a bit!
I have access to so many resources, but I also paid for them. I would be careful with internet sites. Biblegateway.com is a collection of 150 Bibles. I use the NET Bible, & Biblegateway.com has all the footnotes. But that is not enough for what you are asking. HCSB has a lot of good comments, a history of each book, and what was going on at the time it was written.
A good book to read, is "How to Read The Bible For All Its Worth" by Gordon Fee. He introduces genre, style and a lot of good info about basic Bible principles. He's a Greek Bible translator.
I hope that helps a bit!
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E
What did you think it means?
I looked it up. I had the 1611 KJV set as my bible and read it a few times, then moved to the NKJV and it made more sense.
Like Angela said. Commentaries and greek sources are the best to use. And you should get a few to see all the different views. Then test each view..
I looked it up. I had the 1611 KJV set as my bible and read it a few times, then moved to the NKJV and it made more sense.
Like Angela said. Commentaries and greek sources are the best to use. And you should get a few to see all the different views. Then test each view..
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First and foremost, we have the Holy Spirit to teach us. Of course, He works through people called to teach and preach as well. I use Bible Hub which has almost every English translation available. It has Greek and Hebrew dictionaries.
It's great when we ask God to show us what a passage means. There are many contentious doctrines and many different interpretations. They can't all be right. Pray to receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. Study for the sake of it is not a great deal of value. It needs to be real to us, not just words that we memorise.
It's great when we ask God to show us what a passage means. There are many contentious doctrines and many different interpretations. They can't all be right. Pray to receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. Study for the sake of it is not a great deal of value. It needs to be real to us, not just words that we memorise.
I would find a Christian dictionary. A secular dictionary won't give you Christian or Biblical definitions. Vine's is another possibility. You look up a word in English and it gives you the transliterated word in Greek (in English letters, not Greek!) & a definition. But that is not line by line.
An online source I use and like is:
Monergism.com
Or
Bible study tools.com
A good place to take free courses is:
biblical training.org.
The president is Bill Mounce, my Greek teacher. He has a lot of top notch scholars do the lectures.
Stay away from anything Scofield or Darbyism. They invented dispensationalism using poor exegesis and hermeneutics. And do compare other commentaries. I have found sometimes they contradict each other. That's when you really have to think. We used to do exegetical studies in Greek & Hebrew. In those days, I would photocopy everything on a word at my seminary library. Yet, there would be conflicts. You can contact me, if you have a question. I'll try and find out the answer.
An online source I use and like is:
Monergism.com
Or
Bible study tools.com
A good place to take free courses is:
biblical training.org.
The president is Bill Mounce, my Greek teacher. He has a lot of top notch scholars do the lectures.
Stay away from anything Scofield or Darbyism. They invented dispensationalism using poor exegesis and hermeneutics. And do compare other commentaries. I have found sometimes they contradict each other. That's when you really have to think. We used to do exegetical studies in Greek & Hebrew. In those days, I would photocopy everything on a word at my seminary library. Yet, there would be conflicts. You can contact me, if you have a question. I'll try and find out the answer.
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Here's a good looking course about how to interpret the Bible. It gets into the role of the Holy Spirit, too.
https://www.biblicaltraining.org/biblical-hermeneutics/robert-stein
https://www.biblicaltraining.org/biblical-hermeneutics/robert-stein
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partly
Also reading the whole passage to then end, its talking about how we cant know the things of God either unless we have His spirit.
And no man can judge us if we have His spirit. But we who have His spirit can judge all things, having mind of Christ.
I am paraphrasing, but just read till the end of the chapter. Scripture usually explains things the further you read. Jesus would tell a parable, and the disciples might scratch their heads and ask him to explain what he just said, and he would, or he would give an example or a word picture.
The next chapter Paul gives us a word picture of babes drinking milk, seeds being planted, and of foundations being laid. Then theres a picture of a temple and God dwelling INSIDE the temple. Paul then explains it like we are the temple and God is dwelling inside of us.
Also reading the whole passage to then end, its talking about how we cant know the things of God either unless we have His spirit.
And no man can judge us if we have His spirit. But we who have His spirit can judge all things, having mind of Christ.
I am paraphrasing, but just read till the end of the chapter. Scripture usually explains things the further you read. Jesus would tell a parable, and the disciples might scratch their heads and ask him to explain what he just said, and he would, or he would give an example or a word picture.
The next chapter Paul gives us a word picture of babes drinking milk, seeds being planted, and of foundations being laid. Then theres a picture of a temple and God dwelling INSIDE the temple. Paul then explains it like we are the temple and God is dwelling inside of us.
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A good lexicon and a concordance would help you go further. I still use books but there are online versions.
Blue Letter Bible has a Strong's concordance search feature.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/
Bible Study Tools is good for their lexicons
https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/
https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/
Blue Letter Bible has a Strong's concordance search feature.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/
Bible Study Tools is good for their lexicons
https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/
https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/
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