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TABLE OF CONTENTSInspirationWhat Do We Mean By Inspired?How Much of The Bible is Inspired?The Bible Affirms that it is inspired. Revelation Why Do We Need God’s Word?What Does God Reveal in His Word?How Did We Get the Canon?How Did the Bible Spread? What is Being Translated? The Book What About All the Different Versions? How is the Bible Arranged? Are There Things Man Added?What is on Each Page?What Else Will I Find in My Bible?What is the Bible? When it Comes to the Bible... Here is What You Need to Know How Good Are You at Investigating Rules for Proper Interpretation The Holy Spirit Helps How to Read the BibleSample Reading Plan Methods of Study Bible Study tools Practice Studies OppositionOpposing View of the BibleSo, Are There Contradictions?Compare the Gospels Other RejectionsTrustworthyReasons to Trust InfallibilityAuthority of ScriptureCan We Trust the Bible How to Read the Bible

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WHAT IS THE BIBLE?The Bible is the Inspired Word of God, given to man through Divine Revelation,Preserved Throughout History to serve as a form of communication for all whofollow the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible InstructsA Christian believes that the Bible gives instructions, answersquestions, and convicts of sins. People on how to become a Christ-follower John 1:12, 3:16-18; Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23; 1 Peter 3:18How to deal with our parents Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. On what is right from wrong 1 Corinthians 6:12, 8:9, 10:23, 10:31The Bible AnswersHow the Earth was created Genesis 1, Psalm 104How to treat each other Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.How to deal with our sin Matthew 18: 15-17 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.How God forgives us Psalm 103:12; Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:9The Bible Convicts 4

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It was written by God (author/source)It was written through men (instrument/means)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, forreproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man ofGod may be complete, equipped for every good work. -2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)God is ultimately the author of ScriptureInspired literally means “breathed out”The Bible was penned by menThese men were guided by the Holy SpiritFor no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke fromGod as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.-2 Peter 1:21 (ESV)6

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And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our belovedbrother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as hedoes in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There aresome things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant andunstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures-2 Peter 3:15-16Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai.-Jonah 1:1But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, he will teach you all things and bring toyour remembrance all that I have said to you.”- John 14:26All Scripture is breathed out by God -2 Timothy 3:16a (ESV)For the Scripture says, “The laborer deserves his wages.”-1 Timothy 5:18 The laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.-Luke 10:78

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WHAT DOES GOD REVEALIN HIS WORD?The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a Godmerciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love andfaithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity andtransgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty-Exodus 34:6-7 (ESV)God reveals His person and works to us in ScriptureGod reveals the person and works of Christ in ScriptureHe is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by himall things were created… And he is the head of the body, the church. He isthe firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.Through him to reconcile to himself all things, making peace by the bloodof his cross.-Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)God reveals His plan of redemption in ScriptureBut God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he lovedus, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together withChrist—by grace you have been saved.-Ephesians 2:4-6 (ESV)God reveals His will for us in ScriptureHow can a young man keep his way pure?By guarding it according to your word.-Psalm 119:911

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Was the book written by a prophet or apostle?Was the book confirmed by acts of God?Did its message tell the truth about God?Does it come with the power of God?Was it accepted by the people of God?Clement mentions 8 books (95 AD)Polycarp mentions 15 books (108 AD)Muratorian Canon mentions 22 books (170 AD)Council of Nicea mentions 27 books (325 AD)The Council of Laodicea mentions 26 books (363 AD)The Council of Hippo affirms all 27 books (393 AD)WHAT CRITERIA WERE USED The Old Testament (Originally in Hebrew)HOW DID WE GET THE CANON?‘Canon’ refers to a group of books acknowledged by the early church as the rule offaith and practice. This term is from a carpenter’s ruler that referred to a measuringreed that was 6 cubits long. The word has been used to identify those letters/booksconsidered to meet the standard of being spiritually set apart when they were writtenand found to have secondary value in the general church. Canon [can-on]Was written over a period of 1,000 yearsWas written by around 30 different authorsWas translated fully into Greek by 100 BCCatholic Canon73 Books, 66 of OT and NTGenesis to Revelation, plusApocryphaProtestant Canon 66 Books, 39 OT and 27 NTGenesis to RevelationJewish Canon39 Books of the OTGenesis to MalachiThe New Testament (Originally in Greek)Was written over a period of 40 yearsWas written by around 13 different authorsWas fully collected by 393 ADWHEN AND WHO DECIDED12

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WHY WERE BOOKS LEFT OUT?Culture tries to discredit the Bible by claiming the books contained in theBible do not contain all of the history. For example, the book The Da Vinci Code. The book is a fictional thriller.The plot is about how an ancient society claims to have “facts” about Jesusthat the church tried to suppress. The Da Vinci Code is in reality an attackon the Person of Jesus Christ.The books that were left out of the Protestant Canon, like the Apocrypha, taughtthings that did not align with the rest of scripture or were historically notaccurate. However, the Apocrypha was added officially to the Catholic Bible in the1500s. Theological Differences in the Apocrypha:Praying for the deadAsking “saints” in heaven for their prayersWorshipping angels“Almsgiving” to atone for sins Can We Look at Other Texts Absolutely, if and only if we properlyunderstand Scripture. The ”other texts” likethe Apocrypha, 1st and 2nd Maccabees andother historical texts can help us understandhistory. But these books are not divinelyinspired; this means we must always comparewhat they say with what scripture says. Use Caution 13

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Luther moves the Apocrypha in His translation of the NTHOW DID THE BIBLE SPREAD?Copies of NT books spread across the Empire The Gutenberg printing press was developedWilliam Tyndale translated the Bible into EnglishIf God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that drives theplow to know more of the Scripture than thou dost.I will cause those who have oppressed thousands and thousands withfalse fables and traditions, to be ashamed of themselves.1534152615211440100-500 AD70+ AD70 AD1545Scribes begin to make copies of the New Testament “The Holy Scriptures, given by inspiration of God, areof themselves sufficient toward the discovery of truth.”-AthanasiusChurch Fathers study & quote Scripture often Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clearreason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since itis well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), Iam bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is captiveto the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything since it isneither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me.Amen.Luther argues for Scripture alone at the Diet of WormsCatholic Council of Trent affirms the Apocrypha14

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Word for Word (Formal) TranslationsEach word of the Greek is translated into EnglishPro Con ExampleReliable for Study Harder to Read NASBESVThought for Thought (Informal) TranslationsThought for Thought (Informal) TranslationsThe idea of each phrase is translated into EnglishThe idea of each phrase is translated into EnglishPro Con ExampleEasier to Read Less Reliable for Study NIV NLTParaphrasesA summary of what an author thinks the text saysA summary of what an author thinks the text saysPro Con ExampleVery Easy to Read NOT TUSTWORTHYThe MessageThe AmplifiedThe MessageThe AmplifiedWHAT ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENTVERSIONS?Different versions of the Bible have different goals in translationYou should choose a version as close to word-for-word withoutlosing readability.Looking at different translations can be helpful in bible study. You MUST understand the nature of the translation you arereading before you begin using it.17

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The New Testament is arranged in a similar fashion. The first 4 books we know asthe Gospel hold a place at the beginning due to their importance as the foundationof the Christian faith.IS THERE A REASON FOR THE ORDER?The books of the Bible are divided forconvenience and logical historical development;there is no sacred order.The difference between major and minor prophets is simply the book's length.The first five books of the Bible, called thePentateuch, the Law, or the Torah, are placedat the front of the Bible because of theemphasis held in Jewish culture. Also, they arethe beginning of the Historical story.What is the oldest book in the bible?Now as for the order of the 4 Gospels that was due to a man named Augustine whobelieve that the order we have them in now was chronologic however, most modernscholar would claim Mark was actually the 1st book penned. All of Paul’s letters were ordered by length. Romans, being the longest, is first whilePhilemon, the shortest, is last. Revelation was placed at the end because it describesTheEnd19

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ARE THERE THINGS ADDEDChapters & Verses are not inspired or original!They were added later for convenienceVerses and Chapters make navigating, finding parts,and quoting the Bible easier.The problem is that the addition of chapters andverses may break up important thoughtsBehold, my servant shall act wisely he shall be high and lifted up and shall be exalted Asmany were astonished at you his appearance was so marred beyond human semblance, andhis form beyond that of the children of mankind so shall he sprinkle many nations Kingsshall shut their mouths because of him For that which has not been told them they see andthat which they have not heard they understand Who has believed what he has heard fromus And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed For he grew up before him like ayoung plant, and like a root out of dry ground he had no form or majesty that we should lookat him and no beauty that we should desire him He was despised and rejected by men, a manof sorrows and acquainted with grief and as one from whom men hide their faces he wasdespised and we esteemed him not Imagine if it was writen like this...The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52-53)15 so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. 53Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,and no beauty that we should desire him.20

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WHAT ELSE WILL I FIND IN MY BIBLE?Helps you find where theBible talks about aspecific word or person Concordance Biblical Unit Bath Beka CubitDenarius Handbreadth HinHomer LogShekel Talent Approximate American Equivalent6 bushels3 inches 1/5 ounce 1/3 quart 1 day’s wages 2/5 ounce75 pounds 18 inches (about) 6 gallons 4 quartsConversion ChartMAPS!Maps can be helpful in tryingto understand where theevents in the Bible happened,especially now that the namesof places have changed.Jeremiah 50Genesis 12Philippians Thessalonians BabylonShechemPhilippi ThessalonicaHillah NablusFilippoiThessalonikiPassage Biblical City Modern City The Table of ContentsThis tells you what page is each book onThe PrefaceActually has helpful information! It tells us how theytranslated the Bible. Some Bibles even have a book prefacethat gives historical background about the author and thelocation where the book was written.The part that we all skip... 22

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OPPOSINGVIEWS OF THE BIBLEIt is a book meant to suppress peopleThe world’s view of the Bible Irrelevant information that has nothing to do with life todayIt is simply a history bookIt is a book of rules used to oppress people into obedience A book about a bunch of dead guys The Christian’s view of the BibleIt is the history of God’s power and his route for salvationIt is a love letter, written by God to His peopleIt is a roadmap for living life to its fullest the way God has intendedIt has authority over the life of a believerIt convicts the sin in a believer’s lifeSO WHAT IS THE POINT OF THE BIBLE?John 20:30-31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is theMessiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.The Bible wasn’t written to be exhaustive in its account, but to provideenough evidence so that you might believe in Jesus. Many people will look at the Bible and try to discredit it by claiming there arecontradictions in its writing.THE PROBLEMWHYThey have believed the lie that says the bible is exhaustive.They confuse perspective with contradiction. They add or subtract details they view as unimportant25

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SO ARE THERECONTRADICTION In short, NO. There is no alleged contradiction that has held to any level of scrutiny. This is because the original texts penned by the author, inspired by God, areinerrant. InerrantWithout error- This is the idea that God’s original word does not contain anerror. This means that there can not be a contradiction because, by its verynature, a contradiction would be an error. PRINCIPLES TO HELP DISCUSS ALLEGED CONTRADICTIONS.Take the time to examine the Word closely and correctlyStudying the Bible takes time. You may not know the meaning of a passageafter your first time reading. Examine the text in its context. Never just read a single verse, but read the entire chapter and those thatare related to it.Use cross-references. Our modern Bibles have cross-references built in to help uswhen we don’t know the text or what and where it is referring to,Let the Bible clarify itselfIn numbers specifically, the cultures in which the Bible was written rounded off.Different cultures would count men, women, and children differently.Don’t confuse “imprecision” with “error”He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubitsfrom rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits tomeasure around it.-2 Chronicles 4:2-3 C = πd is not the same as C = 3dWHAT TO DOYou will meet people who want to claim that the Bible cannot be trustedbecause there are alleged contradictions. 26

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PRINCIPLES TO HELP DISCUSS ALLEGED CONTRADICTIONSCONTINUEDDon’t worry about copying variations. None of these variations change the theology or content of the Bible. In addition,the variations existing in the ancient manuscripts can be found in the marginsof the modern translations so you can investigate them for yourself (to see howimportant or unimportant they are). The vast majority of these variations aresingle-letter or number variations, and the copyists were extremely honest inhow they transmitted these errors through the ages.“David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border atthe river Euphrates. And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen,and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them foran hundred chariots.”-2 Samuel 8:3-4 “And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion bythe river Euphrates. And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen,and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them anhundred chariots.”-1 Chronicles 18:3-4 Perspectives are different than contradictions. Remember, no two witnesses to the same event will ever describe the event inexactly the same way. If the witnesses did describe the event in exactly the sameway, you would probably question their honesty.This comes into play with such evils as slavery and polygamy. Description is different than approval. Original manuscripts (scrolls) did not contain punctuation, paragraphs, orchapters we use today. This influences direct quotes, specifically when the NTquotes the OT, and we see quotation marks. Remember that your Bible is not the Original Manuscripts (scrolls) 27

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“We should reject the views of those who say the Bible has infallibleanswers to today’s problems. As Humanists know, science has proved to bea much better source for answers.” -American Humanist Association 37° C/98.6° F is the normal body temperature.This is actually from 1868, when German physician Carl R. A. Wunderlichrecorded the temperatures of 25,000 patients over 16 years. In reality, people have varying normal body temperatures, ranging from36.1° C (97° F) to 37.2° C (99° F). Babies and children tend to have highernormal temperatures (add half a degree C or one degree F), and olderpeople tend to have lower temperatures.And this has only recently been corrected.One of the longest (156 years) standing scientific discoveries that is nolonger true Science regularly disproves itself; this is not a bad thing or a reason todistrust all science. It means we are continuing to grow in ourknowledge, but what science says today may not be true tomorrow. To this day, there is nothing that has disproved the Bible; it is consistentthroughout our history.For example, the Book of Esther describes the Persian empire as having 127(Esther 9:30) provinces. However, historians have not found a record thatthere was any such division of the empire outside of the Bible. The argument is that because we can not find corroboratingevidence, it can not be true.Historical arguments made against the bible are made with a poorinterpretation or based on a lack of evidence. Historical Contradictions Scientific Contradictions OTHER REJECTIONS 29

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REASONS TO TRUST Based of Science Based of History Tightly Folded Rock StrataNumerous locations worldwide (including theGrand Canyon) have been observed where massivesections of strata have been tightly folded withoutevidence of the sediments being heated.Human Population GrowthThe population conservatively doubles every 150years. Calculation based on a Biblical age of theearth (about 6,000 years) is consistent with thecurrent population. In contrast, even a conservativeevolutionary age of 50,000 years comes out to astaggering, impossibly high figure of 10 to the 99thpower—greater than the number of atoms in theuniverse!Dinosaur Soft TissueOne discovery that has left evolutionists scramblingis a fossilized Tyrannosaurus rex femur withflexible connective tissue, branching blood vessels,and even intact cells! Biological material cannot lastmore than thousands of years. Earth’s Decaying Magnetic FieldThe rate of decay claims Earth could not haveexisted for more than a few thousand years; if wereversed the decay, the pressure on Earth 10,000years ago would have been too great for humans tolive on Earth. Recession of the MoonIf the earth is only 6,000 years old the moon wouldhave only moved about 800 feet. Astronomy claimsthe moon is over 4 billion years old; if true, thenless than 1.5 billion years ago, the moon would havebeen touching the Earth!Radiocarbon in DiamondsRATE scientists discovered significant detectablelevels of radiocarbon in these diamonds, datingthem at around 55,000 years—a far cry from theevolutionary billions!Dead sea scrolls The Dead Sea Scrolls are crazy cool. God hasallowed them to be preserved for thousands ofyears, and we are still finding more! We found morein 2021. They found part of the books Zachariahand Nahum. Every time we find more, they are thesame as the scrolls we have already found. GoliathIn 2019, archeologists found a human of epicproportions in what would have been the land ofGath. The skeleton's dating puts it right around the11th century, lining up with the account of KingDavid killing Goliath. By the way, the name Goliathmeans the Giant of Gath.includes the Babylonian Flood Story. Again, thebiblical record is greatly superior. As NozomiOsanai wrote in her master’s thesis on acomparison between Noah’s Flood and theGilgamish Epic, “According to the specifics,scientific reliability, internal consistency, thecorrespondence to the secular records, and theexistence of common elements among the floodtraditions around the world, the Genesis accountseems to be more acceptable as an accuratehistorical record.”The Epic of Gilgamesh For a number of years, historians argued that theHittites, a nation described throughout the Bible,did not exist. The basis for this argument was thatthey had not found any evidence outside of theBible. Then, very important writings were discovered, firstby the Irish missionary William Wright in 1884 CEand then by the German archaeologist HugoWinckler in 1906 CE.By 1912 CE, Winckler “had recovered 10,000 claytablets from the Hittite royal archives.” The Hittites31

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After approximately 2,000 years of being buried in caves near the Dead Sea, these scrolls cameto light again in AD 1947. The Jews were searching for a Messiah or Messiahs—the king-likeDavid, the great High Priest of the people of Israel, the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek,the prophet like Moses, and possibly the pierced Messiah.I say “possibly the pierced Messiah” because this refers only to a very small fragment. Also, thefuture and the imperfect tenses in the Hebrew language are very often the same and can only bedetermined by the context.Scroll of IsaiahPart of the main Scroll of Isaiah recovered alongside the Dead SeaIn this case the prophecy could be saying that the expected Messiah will be “pierced” or that “hewas pierced.” Isaiah 11:4 states, “And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked[emphasis added].” And in the NASB, Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was pierced through for ourtransgressions [emphasis added].” Both statements are relevant, for in fact the Messiah waspierced, and in a coming judgment those who have rejected the Messiah will be pierced.The Scrolls have provided copies of most of the Old Testament, for fragments of every OldTestament book except Esther have been found in Hebrew, about 1,000 years earlier thanprevious extant Hebrew copies. (A writing from the book of Esther is found in another scroll.)Considerable light was thrown on New Testament backgrounds and on the Jewish nature ofJohn’s Gospel. For example, contrasts such as “light and darkness” are common to John and the“War Scroll,” a text that describes the eschatological last battle; and Hebrew was still a livinglanguage, not just a priestly language.The Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah also shows an old form of the Hebrew letter “tau,” which looks likean “X” in the margin of the scroll. It occurs 11 times, at Isaiah 32:1, 42:1, 42:5, 42:19, 44:28, 49:5–7, 55:3–4, 56:1–2, 56:3, 58:13, and Isaiah 66:5. As already stated, both the records of theAssyrians and the Dead Sea Scrolls (with a near-complete copy of Isaiah) were totally hiddenfrom human eyes for about 2,000 years. Most of the content of these two sources overlappedand thus confirmed the evidence for the genuineness of the prophecies of Isaiah.An important point about the finding of these scrolls is that they relate to the uncovering of theAssyrian palaces from the 1840s onwards. Isaiah gives a number of historical facts relating tothe Assyrians that remarkably confirm the accuracy of Isaiah.Possibly, the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls is one of the most wonderful facts regarding therelevance of biblical archaeology and the Bible.THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS32

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INFALLIBILITY Infallibility: Incapable of making mistakes or being wrongThis means that the Bible is not suddenly going to be proven wrong by somescientific or archeological find.Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he calledthem gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken-John 10:34–35. Jesus says in very clear language that Scripture cannot be broken. The Bible has stood the test of time, and we continue to find evidence that provesthe Bible is true, not the other way around.AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTUREChristians believe “The Bible is our only rule for faith and practice.” This meansthat the believer holds the Bible, God’s Holy Word, to be the ultimate guide forwhat they believe (“faith”) and what they do (“practice”). This means that the Bible trumps man’s authority, church tradition, and our ownopinions. It means we will allow nothing that opposes God’s Word to dictate ouractions or control our thinking. Sola ScripturaBy Scripture Alone33

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HERE IS WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTANDThe Bible is the most important Book ever written. Modern historical investigation and archeology have confirmed thehistory within its pages time and time again, but it isn’t a history book.From a literary standpoint, the Bible is a masterpiece, not just a collectionof literature.Although civilization’s greatest ethical systems have been patterned afterits teaching, it isn’t merely a book of ethics and morals.The Bible is the Word of God. The theme is salvation, and the centralcharacter is Jesus Christ.The Old Testament shows us the sinfulness of man and the need for aSavior.The New Testament tells of the entrance of God into the World in theperson of Jesus Christ. It tells of how Jesus provided salvation for youand me by the substitution of His death for our spiritual death. It tells ofour hope today and to come in eternity.The Bible tells us everything God wants us to know about ourrelationship with Him. It says exactly what God wants to say to everyone:no more, no less. Everything God has to say to you is in His book!God has something to say, but you must investigate the scriptures!36

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The explanation of a text based upon careful study, the interpreter is led to a conclusion by following the text.Interpretation of a text based on personal, non-analytical reading. The interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it whatever he wants. How to correctly handle God’s Word? HermeneuticsWe all have presuppositions and prejudices. We need to identify these before we start to read theBible. These are often based on what we have heard about the Bible or have heard of seen in theWorld. What does my idea mean?What scripture seems to fit with my idea? RULES FOR PROPERINTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE (IN ORDER)What does thetext sayWhat ideas seem to fit with scripture?Observation- What does it say?The process of recognizing and becoming mentally aware of what you see. Interpretation- What does it mean?This is when we look at the intent, historical context, significance, and implications of what isobserved. We must first determine what the author intended for their original audiencebefore we can determine what it means to us.Correlation- How does it fit together?Determine how it fits into the Theological and Literary context of the book and the Bible as awhole.Application- How does it apply to me?The goal of Bible study is not just to see what the Bible says, but to apply it to your life.It hasto go beyond just an academic exercise. We must determine the application and thendetermine to live it out. ExamplesJeremiah 29:1-11 Not written to youPhilippians 4:13 But you can’t fly...Matthew 7:1-6 Until you remove the log EisegesisExegesisWhat should you look for... Historical Nouns (People, places, things, and events) Key Concepts,Biblical context (Chapter before, chapter after) One Interpretation Many Application38

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THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS USUNDERSTAND THE BIBLE, BUT HOW?Take 2 minutes and draw a sketch or describe what the process andresults of studying the Bible may look like for a person who has...Present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to beashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.-2 Timothy 2:15Holy Spirit Empowered No Holy Spirit Personal DisciplineNo Personal DisciplineBut when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.-John 16:13 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, andtraining in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped forevery good work.-2 Timothy 3:16-1739

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HOW TO READ THE BIBLERead DailyI have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words ofhis mouth more than my daily bread.-Job 23:12 Set a regular time Then decide how long you are going to read. Set a regular locationThis helps with concentration and focusRead with a pen in your handTake Notes!Set Goals“I'm going to read more.” is not a goal. Read devotionally. God provides practical principles and guidance to our nature.Be ReasonableDon’t bite off more than you can chew, read withpurpose. Go easy on yourselfMissing a day does not destroy your relationship with God or your reading plan. Read methodically. Read an Entire Book Remember, it is a letter. Don’t “hunt and peck”. Read a Book Repeatedly This is good for smaller books in the NT as you are familiar with the overall thread of the NT.Read a book by needWhat are you struggling to understand spiritually? The Bible becomes a referencebook for discovering what is needed to help you grow. 1 John is a great book thathelps us know how to be sure of salvation. Ephesians help us to know how to growand defend ourselves against temptation. James teaches us to have faith introubling times. Read the Bible in its entirety. Every Christian should do this at least once, but do it methodically. 40

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OPAOBSERVATIONSCompile all the facts found in the scripture passage(s). Make 20-30 observations aboutwhat you read.PRINCIPLESDraw a few principles from the observations you made. What is God trying to teach you inthis passage?APPLICATIONSHow will you apply these principles to your life? Be specific—a good application will tellwho, what, and when.5PPURPOSEWhat is the overall purpose of this passage? Why is it important enough to be in theBible?PRIMARY VERSEWhich verse seems to contain the most important thought in the passage? Which onestands out to you? Write out the verse completely and the corresponding reference.PROMISESMake a list of any promises you find. (Sometimes you need to infer promises from apassage.)PROBLEMSIf you find anything you don’t understand—even if it’s just a word—write it down as aquestion. Then ask someone for the answer or look it up yourselfPRACTICAL APPLICATIONThink about what the passage means in your life. How does this change the way you viewyourself? Others? What action should you take? Be specific—your application should tellwho, what, and when.DIFFERENT METHODS OF STUDY PASSAGES 42

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SPECKSINS TO AVOIDMake a list of any sins—wrong actions, attitudes, or thoughts—mentioned in the scripturepassage(s). These are the things to avoid in life.PROMISES TO CLAIMMake a list of the promises in this passage. Promises give us confidence when we doubtGod or face difficult times. So take them to heart, and believe what they say.EXAMPLES TO FOLLOWWhat examples do you find in this passage? Is there a right way of thinking or actingdescribed in the passage that you should take as an example for your life?COMMANDS TO OBEYWrite out all the commands you find. If a passage encourages you to take a certain action,take it as a command and write it down.KNOWLEDGE OF GOD TO APPLYWhat does the passage tell you about God that you can apply to your daily life? God’scharacter shines throughout the Bible as an example for us!NEWSPAPERWHO?Make a list of all the major characters in the scripture passage(s)WHAT?What are the circumstances? What are the characters doingWHERE?Where is the action taking place and why is that important?WHEN?What is significant about the timing of this scripture passage?WHY?Why did God think this specific passage was so important that He included it in HisWord?HOW?How does this passage apply to your life? How are you going to live differently todaybecause of what you read?Reminder: Applications should tell who, what, and when.43

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Parallel Bible Allows users to study verses using more than one translation andversion. This study tool can help people see how differenttranslators have interpreted the original language.Commentaries Aid in the study of Scripture by providing explanation andinterpretation of Biblical text. Whether you are just beginning toread Scripture or have been studying the Bible daily,commentaries offer greater understanding with backgroundinformation on authorship, history, setting, and theme of thebook. Verse by verse explanation of the New and Old Testamentcan be found in commentaries written by some of the greatestChristian church leadersConcordance Alphabetical listings of words and phrases found in the Holy Biblethat shows where the terms occur throughout all books ofScripture. With cross-references for verses, concordances make iteasy to understand the meaning of terms and the context inwhich those words are used.Bible Dictionary Discover the meaning of words and study them in context tounderstand the theological concepts of that specific verse orpassage. Many Dictionaries also include the original Greek andHebrew word with meaning.Bible Encyclopedia Contain articles and definitions of thousands of words and termsused in Scripture. Entries include full historical references such asdate, religious environment, family life, customs, language, andliterature. All encyclopedia terms are cross-referenced and linkedto the verses where they are found to help understand the fullmeaning of the word in context to its use in specific verses of theBible.Lexicon Provide definitions and meaning of Biblical words found in theoriginal New Testament Greek and Old Testament Hebrewlanguages of the Holy Bible. This study resource helps inunderstanding the origins and root meaning of the ancientlanguage.BIBLE STUDY TOOLS44

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Choose a Method KICK SOME TIRES! OPA 5 P Choose a passageJoshua 5:13- 6:721 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin againstme, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not sayto you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settleaccounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him whoowed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master orderedhim to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to bemade. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, andI will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servantreleased him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, hefound one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, hebegan to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell downand pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused andwent and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servantssaw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reportedto their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and saidto him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy onyou?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay allhis debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do notforgive your brother from your heart.-Matthew 18:21-35SPECK NewspaperGet into groups of NO more than 5, NO less than 3 Psalm 103:8-13Romans 5:6-11Romans 12:1-8Jeremiah 17:5-13 James 1:1-181 Peter 5:6-1146

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CHARACTER STUDY How to look at a specific person in the Bible1. Main scripture passage and other passages (list)2. Briefly describe their childhood, parents, family, and education if known.3. What character traits do you see in them, both good and bad?4. Describe their main encounter with God?5. Who were their companions? Were they a help or a hindrance?6. How did they influence others?7. What significant mistakes did they make?8. Did they acknowledge and confess his sins?9. What were their chief contributions in service to God?10. Describe their family life.11. How did their children turn out?12. What is the primary lesson of their life that is profitable to you?Try Peter, Timothy, Barnabas, Manasseh 52

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SUBJECT WORD STUDY How to look at a specific word or idea in the Bible1. What subject or word do you want to discover? 2. How is this word defined in English? Use a dictionary.3. What are synonyms for this word? 4. What are antonyms for this word?5. Look up the word using a concordance, Blue Letter Bible; this gives you a breakdown ofeach word in a verse in the original language.6. Select the word for the OT and NT definitions and verses that use the word.7. What verses in the Bible share this word?8. In what context is the word is used in these passages?9. Are there any variations in word usage?10. How would you define the word based on your study?11. What does this word mean to how I should live?Try Love, Hope, Faith, Discipleship or53

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