Verse Mapping

“Draw near to God and He will Draw near to you.”

How do you draw nearer to God?    Dig deeper into His Word!  One way to accomplish this is to use Verse Mapping to study the Bible and unpack the Scriptures.  It is a visual method to record different translations, research similar verses, define key words, and allows you to discover the deeper meaning of the verse and how to apply it to your life.  Verse Mapping will make you research word origins, examine historical context, and explore geography to learn more about Who God is and what He is trying to say to you through His Word. 

This is all about spending quality time with God.  So get comfortable –  PJs are just fine!  Next, PRAY!  I know it sounds simple and maybe a bit silly, but you want to start by asking God to guide you, direct you.  The Holy Spirit inside of you will teach you what you need to learn: ask and you shall receive!  Do you need sound? Listen to some Praise and Worship music.  Need peace and quiet?  Close the door to your room or minimize distractions. 

What do you need? Let’s gather some basics. More detailed information will be provided on the various study tools mentioned in the next session.

Something to write WITH: Pens, pencils or markers can be used. Keep in mind that colors can be used to annotate key words.

Something to write ON: Blank copy paper, a lined notebook, a journal with dot grids, and graph paper all work fine. You can also download and print our CBJ Verse Mapping pages, either colored or black and white.

A Bible. There are many versions available in numerous formats! Use your favorite! Please refer to https://www.biblegateway.com/, a trusted authority for online bible searching, for our approved list of bible translations for all members.

• Concordance
• English Dictionary
• Bible Dictionary
• Study Bible
• Bible Background Commentary
• Interlinear Bible
• Bible Software
• Commentaries
• Cross Referencing Bible
• Dictionary of Biblical Imagery
• Maps
• Bible Handbook
• Any and all of these are available in book for as well as online.

In Verse Mapping, one of the steps is to provide different bible translations for the same verse. For this installment, we will look at the major types of bibles available today with this in mind. Through experience we know the New International Version (NIV) does not read like the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB) does not read like the King James Version (KJV) and yet they are all the word of God.

Today, people read the Scripture in either translations or paraphrases. However, a paraphrase is not the same thing as a translation. While a translation attempts to relate what the text of the Bible says, a paraphrase attempts to explain the meaning of the translation. Therefore, the paraphrase is more like a commentary.

Let’s look at the two types of translations: word-for-word (Formal Equivalence) and thought-for-thought (Dynamic Equivalence).

A word-for-word Bible translation is a Bible that aims to adhere as closely as possible to the wording and grammatical structure of the original text. Whenever possible, a word-for-word translation tries to translate each word, phrase, and concept in the original text with an exactly matching word, phrase, and concept in the target language. Some consider a word-for-word translation harder to understand, particularly when it comes to figures of speech that are not used in modern culture.

You should consider this type of bible if you:
1) Want a Bible experience that is closer to the vocabulary and phrasing that its original audiences read and heard;
2) Love majestic language and phrasing
3) Have access to a good study Bible, dictionary, or other tool to help you when you run across unfamiliar terms.

Examples of this translation include King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV, New American Standard Bible (NASB), and English Standard Version (ESV).

A thought-by-thought Bible seeks to express the meaning of each sentence or paragraph from the original language in simple up-to-date English without being tied to translating every word.

Translators take the original sentence and rearranges the word order so that it makes the most sense to a modern English-speaking audience. As such, these types of translations should not be exclusively relied on for doctrinal study. These translations attempt to keep a constant historical distance with regard to history and facts, but updates the writing style and grammar.

Examples include: New International Version (NIV), New Century Version (NCV) and New Living Translation (NLT).

A Paraphrase has the primary goal of conveying the Bible in a simple, easy-to-understand language without regard to word-for-word or even thought-for-thought expressions of the original languages. Think of this as a retelling of something in your own words. A paraphrase takes the meaning of a verse or passage of Scripture and attempts to express the meaning in “plain language”. A paraphrase can be helpful to explain difficult words or phrases that sound strange and can aid in understanding the biblical message.

However, there is a danger: reading a paraphrase is not the same as reading the Bible. Unfortunately, this is not often understood. Many people who read a paraphrase assume they are reading the exact words of the Bible. The meaning of the text that is given in the paraphrase is assumed to be the meaning of the text of Scripture and this is not necessarily true.

Examples include The Living Bible (TLB) and The Message.