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April 29, 2009 5:38 PM
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE
Lesson Five: Bible Study Tools by
Brother bob...<><
{Please note: Many of these same Bible Study Tools are available
free on-line for you to use anytime at http://www.biblestudytools.net
. I also highly recommend the free Bible software available for
download at E-sword, http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Dear Friends in Christ,
One important point to always remember as you approach studying
God's Word is to submit yourself to the power and person of the
Holy Spirit to teach you what His Word means. There are many
teachers and preachers and writers of books and scholars who
would like to tell you what they think the Bible means; but there
is only One Holy Spirit who actually inspired the Bible and told
the writers what to write. God therefore knows exactly what the
Bible means . He is also waiting for you to yield yourself to
His teaching as you study this Holy Book.
(2 Pet 1:21 KJV)
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Before you go to study His Word, pray a simple prayer like this,
"Lord God, Holy Spirit, teach me what You want me to
know from your Word today. I want to cast aside all my preconceived
ideas about your Word, and submit myself afresh to Your teaching.
It is in Jesus' Name I pray this. Amen"
God Bless you as you study His Word.
In Christ....brother bob.....<><
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There are a number of very helpful Bible study tools:
1. KING JAMES VERSION F THE BIBLE
We start out with the King James version for a number of reasons:
(The following is quoted from http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/bible.htm
, "The Most Important Book in the Universe" , author
unknown.
"The Holy Bible is the Authorized King James Version of
1611. The Bible is the best selling book of all time. The King
James Bible has served Christians, and unbelievers (as a savour
unto death), for almost 400 years and has brought millions to
the life saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The King James Bible
is the culmination of the ancient Bibles begun by Wycliffe.....
According to Dr. Jewell Smith, the King James Bible produced
more martyrs than any other Bible. Blood, tears, imprisonment,
torture, trial and tribulation went into every page of THAT BOOK."
There are also many other reasons to start with the KJV. The
KJV starts from Original Greek and Hebrew texts which are much
older and more complete than the texts used for many of the Modern
Versions. There are 155 verses missing, for example, from the
New International Version, because of the texts used to translate
it. These missing verses tend to demean the Deity of Christ,
de-emphasize the second coming of Christ, and impact dozens of
other important Bible Doctrines so important to our faith. (See
the little book, http://www.chick.com/catalog/books/0132.asp?FROM=biblecenter
)
According to the book, "If the Foundations Be Destroyed"
by Chick Salliby, some of the doctrines which the NIV translation
has a negative impact on are:
Redemption, Christ's Eternal Existence, Christ's Deity, Deity
Provable in Christ as Judge, Christ the Creator, Christ the Son
of God, Virgin Birth, Also Concerning Christ's Birth, Christ's
Incarnation, Christ's Omnipresence, Worship of Christ, Christ's
Commission, Christ's Miracles,Christ the Comforter, Christ's
Teachings and Words, Christ's Teaching on Eternal Punishment,
Christ's Teaching on Prayer and Fasting, Steps to the Cross,
Trial, Crucifixion, and Resurrection, Ascencion and Glorification
of Christ, Christ's Priesthood, Christ's Lordship, Christ's Grace,
Christ's Return, Christ's Eternal Existence (Future), Title "Lord",
Title "Christ", Title "Jesus", Names and
Titles of Jesus Christ are Omitted in the NIV. These omissions
are common to all the Newer Translations which are based on the
same corrupted texts.
You can see that taken together, these missing topics and verses
completely damage our understanding of what God has already revealed
tous. Anyway, there are even more practical reasons to use the
KJV as your main source as a study Bible source:
1) The KJV appears to be the closest thing to a word for word
translation of the original Greek and Hebrew texts. I found this
out by studying the Bible using only the KJV Bible and the Strongs
Exhaustive Concordance (an essential companion to the KJV Bible).
This study was done in the 1970's, long before computers or Bible
software were available. In the Strong's Concordance, every word
of the KJV Bible is listed in a group together with every time
that English word occurs in the BIble. Each English word is given
a reference number, and each reference number refers to either
the Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) dictionary
in the back of the book. These dictionaries, then, list the meaning
of that word in the original language, and the origin of the
word from other words in the original language, and the various
ways the word is translated in the KJV Bible. The more you use
this treasure, the more valuable you see it is to get as close
to the correct meaning of a verse as possible, and avoid confusion
due to archaic English words which were correct translations
of the hebrew or greek back then, but have changed in meaning
and useage today. The Greek and Hebrew dictionaries also give
subtle nuances of the original words which clarify the intent
of God as He inspired the text.
2) There are many other valuable Bible study tools which have
been created since about the early 1900's, which not only were
all originally based on the KJV translation, but some of which
also refer to the Strong's Dictionary reference numbers, which
again are based on KJV words. Don't be put off by the fact that
these references are "so old"... the fact is that they
are very scholarly and helpful Bible references, and in many
cases modern Bible Software packages converted them to digital
and searchable format, right from their original form. This testifies
to me of their timeless value.
3) As you study the KJV using the Strong's concordance, you see
the Genius of the Holy Spirit in the arrangement and "searchable-ness"
of the translation. For example, it is very easy to trace one
doctrine of the Scriptures through the KJV Bible by doing a
"search" on a single word or a single phrase. Dare
I suggest that God arranged it this way from eternity for the
coming of computers? (A mind-blowing thought.)
It must be stated that every English word in the KJV may be translated
by one or more Hebrew or Greek words, but you can still trace
one topic using the same Hebrew or Greek word by searching for
the same number word. There does, however, seem to be an economy
of words used in the KJV translation, ie, one English word for
one Greek or Hebrew word, most of the time. You thereby don't
need to be a scholar of these languages (although that would
be nice). There are, however, various verb tenses of the original
words and other grammatical properties of the original language
which are not given in the Strongs, but there are other Bible
Study Tools which do help out with these things.
OTHER HELPFUL TRANSLATIONS
Having said all of the above, there are a few different translations
which I sometimes use as a quick help to understand a Bible passage
when the KJV is just not understandable.
1) The New King James Version (NKJV) . In recent months I
have been doing my daily Bible reading from the John Mac Arthur
Study Bible in the NKJV translation. I find it almost identical
to the KJV with only a few changes of words, no deleted verses,
and smooth reading. The footnotes and marginal references are
excellent and extraordinarily helpful.
2) The Amplified Bible. This Bible version contains verb tenses,
word meanings, explanations, right in the verse itself, and encouragingly
enough, seems to surround these things with the KJV translation
in the same verse. It is a scholarly-done reference Bible, which
may be difficult to read as easily as reading a newspaper, but
it is a valuable companion to the KJV and the Strongs as a study
aid.
3) The Expanded New Testament by Kenneth Wuest. This version
of the New testament was written by a Greek Scholar, Kenneth
Wuest, and attempts to express the difficult to understand Greek
verb tenses into an English Translation. The reading is a bit
unusual, because Greek does not easily translate into English.
Greek is a more complex language than English with complex verb
tenses expressed in the endings of the word, instead a number
of accompanying and modifying wrods as done in English. However,
once you get accustomed to reading it, the same as for the Amplified,
it is a helpful study aid and well worth the effort.
The next lesson will discuss even more Bible Study Tools.
God Bless you as you Study God's Word.
In Christ....brother bob.......<><
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--Bible Study Verses to Ponder--
Comparison of Several Bible Versions
2 Tim 2:14-16 (KJV)
Of these things put them in remembrance,
charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words
to no profit,
but to the subverting of the hearers.
{15} Study to show thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
{16} But shun profane and vain babblings:
for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2 Tim 2:14-16 (AMPLIFIED)
(14) Remind [the people] of these facts
and [solemnly] charge them in the presence of the Lord
to avoid petty controversy over words,
which does no good but upsets and undermines the faith of the
hearers.
(15) Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself
to God
approved (tested by trial),
a workman who has no cause to be ashamed,
correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling
and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
(16) But avoid all empty (vain, useless, idle) talk,
for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.
2 Tim 2:14-16 (TLB-The Living Bible, a paraphrase)
Remind your people of these great facts,
and command them in the name of the Lord
not to argue over unimportant things.
Such arguments are confusing and useless and even harmful.
{15} Work hard so God can say to you, "Well done."
Be a good workman, one who does not need to be ashamed
when God examines your work.
Know what his Word says and means.
{16} Steer clear of foolish discussions
that lead people into the sin of anger with each other.
2 Tim 2:14-16 (Wuest's Expanded Translation)
{14}These things be constanly reminding them,
charging them in the presence of God
not to be continually wrangling about empty and trifling matters,
which results in not one useful thing,
since it ruins those who hear.
{15}Bend your every effort to present yourself to God,
approved, a workman unashamed,
expounding soundly the Word of Truth.
{16}But with reference to unhallowed and empty discussions,
give them wide berth,
for they will progress toward more impiety towards God,
and their word will spread as does a cancer.
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VERSES FOR YOU TO PONDER
(Luke 1:71-79 KJV)
That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of
all that hate us;
{72} To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember
his holy covenant;
{73} The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
{74} That he would grant unto us,
that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might
serve him without fear,
{75} In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of
our life.
{76} And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his
ways;
{77} To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission
of their sins,
{78} Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring{Grk=sunrise}
from on high hath visited us,
{79} To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow
of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
(2 Tim 3:16-17 KJV)
All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:
{17} That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works.
(2 Tim 4:1-5 KJV)
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom;
{2} Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
{3} For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears;
{4} And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables.
{5} But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the
work of an evangelist,
make full proof of thy ministry.
(1 Pet 1:3-12 KJV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again
unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
{4} To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
{5} Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
{6} Wherein ye greatly rejoice,
though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through
manifold temptations:
{7} That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than
of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing
of Jesus Christ:
{8} Whom having not seen, ye love;
in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
{9} Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your
souls.
{10} Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
diligently,
who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
{11} Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ
which was in them did signify,
when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the
glory that should follow.
{12} Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves,
but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported
unto you
by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy
Ghost sent down from heaven;
which things the angels desire to look into.
(2 Sam 23:2-4 KJV)
The spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
{3} The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me,
He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
{4} And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun
riseth, even a morning without clouds;
as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining
after rain.
God Bless You.....brother bob.......<><
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