Therefore, the Word could not have been created. If the Word caused all created things to come into existence, then He must have existed before all created things came into existence. John says the same thing in two different ways for emphasis and clarity: Everything that ever came into being owes its existence to the Word, Who caused it all to happen. John writes, “All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” In John 1:1 the writer states plainly that “the Word was God.” In verse three he provides backup support for this claim. Here is an excellent example of how effective this paraphrase technique can be. Does it dovetail naturally with the bigger picture? Sum it up in your own words.įinally and this is critical see if your paraphrase makes sense when inserted in the passage. With the larger context now in view, you can narrow your focus and speculate on the meaning of the verse itself. Help must come from somewhere else close by: the surrounding paragraph. Dictionaries only complicate the issue, giving us more choices, not fewer. But how do we know it’s the right one? Help won’t come from the dictionary. When we consider a verse in isolation, one meaning may occur to us. Words have different meanings in different contexts (that’s what makes puns work). There’s a reason this little exercise is so important. Ask, “What in this paragraph or group of paragraphs gives any clue to the meaning of the verse?” Stand back from the verse and look for breaks in the narrative that identify major units of thought. What type of literature is it history, poetry, proverb? What is the passage about in general? What idea is being developed? It takes only a few moments and a little observation of the text.īegin with the broad context of the book. Chapter and verse breaks sometimes pop up in unfortunate places, separating relevant material that should be grouped together.įirst, ignore the verse numbers and try to get the big picture. Numbers were added hundreds of years later. The numbers in front of the sentences give the illusion the verses stand alone in their meaning. The key to the meaning of any verse comes from the paragraph, not just from the individual words. This works because of a basic rule of all communication: Meaning always flows from the top down, from the larger units to the smaller units, not the other way around. Since the context frames the verse and gives it specific meaning, I let it tell me what’s going on. I take stock of the relevant material above and below. I read the paragraph, not just the verse. It’s an amazingly effective technique you can use, too. When I’m on the radio, I use this simple rule to help me answer the majority of Bible questions I’m asked, even when I’m totally unfamiliar with the verse. Instead, always read a paragraph at least. Whether you are feeling spiritually, mentally, or physically weak at the moment, we hope these verses will help you find courage, determination, peace, and-most of all-the fortitude within.If there was one bit of wisdom, one rule of thumb, one single skill I could impart, one useful tip I could leave that would serve you well the rest of your life, what would it be? What is the single most important practical skill I’ve ever learned as a Christian? □ Join Country Living All Access today and enjoy exclusive access to home tours, seasonal craft projects, recipes, and more! Along with the 25 Bible verses about strength that follow, you may also find resilience in Bible verses about faith, inspiration in Bible verses about hope, and comfort in Bible verses about healing to sustain you in hard times. Scripture can serve as a powerful reminder that, with a little faith, strength can always be found, even when we think it's lost: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:26). You might seek out what others have said about the topic (we have too and have gathered our favorite quotes about strength from luminaries past and present). When your mind or body has had enough, when you feel you can bear a struggle no more, when you have lost someone, where do you find the strength to carry you through? You might discover it in a friend who simply listens, or in the perspective offered by a trusted counselor.
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