Verse Mapping: A Step-by-Step Guide
- cmzbishopenterpris
- May 29, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Jul 31, 2024
What IS Verse Mapping?
Verse Mapping is simply a way to dig deeper into God’s Word by studying one to
two verses at a time. It is a process that takes the key words or phrases of the verses, defines them biblically, in context, with historical and cultural context. It is also a method that helps you relate the passage you are studying to the rest of the Bible so that you see just how Scripture interprets Scripture!
This is a method that is great for beginners because it is broken down into actionable steps that are not overwhelming. The steps are the same every time and can take as little or as long as you like. You will see what I mean once you get into it. Verse mapping also accommodates different learning styles and study preferences through its versatility in using templates, notebooks, or other creative formats that you may prefer!
What Tools Are Needed?
Something to write on: notebook paper, journal, or printed template to record your findings!
A pen
Bible (A study Bible with notes and cross-references is helpful if you’re using a physical one!)
Concordance (physical or digital)
Bible App or Online desktop (I prefer Bible Hub because it is free and accessible everywhere! It also has an app for an iPhone and an android.) I also like Blue Letter Bible, Logos, StudyLight, and E-Sword!
Time!
How To: Verse Mapping for Beginners!
Bible Hub is a great app and has all of the resources you will need for free! Don’t worry if you don’t have all these tools. With each step, I will show you how to use online Bible tools for free without the extras.
Step 1: Preparation
Gather the supplies needed and print your template if you are using one. Decide
which verse you will be mapping ahead of time. Prepare your heart with prayer.
If you would like to download my free template, you can get it here!
Take the time to write your verse(s) ahead of time!
Step 2: Context
I want to remind you of 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
All Scripture is profitable and it equips us for everything we do as Christians in our walks. So, please take adequate time to read what is going on in your passage. More error and division happens in the body of Christ because people simply do not take the time to study the Word of God the way it should be studied. Even if you need to read one day, make note of observations, and leave the rest for another day, God deserves that when it comes to His Word. Read the entire chapter if you can. You just want to have a picture in your mind
about what’s going on in scripture as you begin to study it.
Ask the questions:
Who is the author? Who is the audience? Who are the main characters?
What is happening? What is the scene? Are there any cultural issues to be aware of? What were the times like? What was the attitude towards Christianity/Jesus? What were some of the social and political influences on the writer and on those to whom he was writing? What else do I know about the book, author, and broader context of the passage?
Where are the events taking place? Is there a town, providence, or country mentioned? Was it in someone’s home? Did it happen inside or outside?
When did these events take place? (The exact date is not necessary. Did it happen before Jesus was born, after Jesus rose, before the flood, pre-exile period in the Old Testament, etc.) Are there times of the day, month, or year mentioned?
Why is it happening?
Have I overlooked anything or made any assumptions?
These are questions you need to take the time to answer. Please note you may not be able to answer all of these questions, and that is ok! However, make note of any answers you find
in the text as you read! (This is before consulting commentary!) Once you have made notes of what you see, you can consult the notes in your study Bible and make use of the secondary sources, such as commentaries, handbooks, and Bible encyclopedias!
These can all be very valuable resources when you are not sure what is happening
in your passage or you are seeking to understand the cultural and historical gaps!
Step Three: Word Meanings and Language Gap
Now you’re ready to look at your chosen verse in other translations or versions of the Bible. This simple step can shed new light on the verse because a different version may translate the original Hebrew or Greek words with different English words that allow you to look at the verse in different perspective. Remember the Bible was not written in English originally, so there is a language barrier or gap.
You can do this step with additional Bibles you own or with Bible Hub online.
Being the Bible nerd that I am, I own a King James Version (KJV), New American
Standard Bible 1995 (NASB), English Standard Version (ESV), New King James
Version (NKJV), Christian Standard Bible (CSB), Hebrew Bible with Commentary
by Robert Alter, The Complete Jewish Study Bible, The Spurgeon Study Bible,
New Living Translation Chronological (NLT) Life Application Bible, and a few
more.
*Just a word on translations: a few of the translations I have listed are not word
for word translations. However, when doing this type of study, it can be beneficial
to look at thought for thought translations in addition to your word for word
translations to see different perspectives. This also helped me see that I don’t
have to stick to one version. Having said that, there are a few versions I do not recommend reading at all: The Message, the Passage Translation, and the Mirror Translation. If you want more information on that, please let me know!
To see an updated list of all the translations, please go to this link.
You can also look up your verse in different translations with a parallel Bible which contains several versions side by side. The easiest way to do this is to use an online Bible site. My favorite site for this of course is Bible Hub.
Using Bible Hub
To look up your verse in multiple versions, go to Bible Hub and enter your verse in the search bar:
Once you click enter, you will see the Bible parallel screen with your verse
automatically come up! At this point, I choose three more versions to look at and compare. The reason I do this is to help me see what words have been changed and see a different perspective.
The next step is to dive into the meanings of some of the key words in your
verse(s.) Start by highlighting the words in your verse(s) in different color
highlighters or map pencils that you would like to explore a little more. If you
don’t have access to highlighters or map pencils, you can just number them and fill
them in on the template, journal, or notebook paper.
You will want to look up the words in their original language. The Old
Testament was originally written in Ancient Hebrew and the New Testament was
written in Koine Greek. You do not have to be a scholar to look at the meanings of
these words! I have not had any classes in Hebrew or Greek either, but I love to
explore the meanings of Bible words in the original languages using word study
tools.
Physical books I recommend for looking up definitions of words:
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Strong’s is a listing of every word in the Bible in the main concordance section, with a Hebrew/Chaldee dictionary and a Greek dictionary in the back of the book.
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
Online Tools (Free!)
Bible Hub Concordance: Click here! In order to just search for a specific word in the Bible Hub concordances, type your word into the search box:
If you want to look in a specific concordance, you can click on whichever one it is you
would like to search in, and go from there:
Note: If you are in the screen where you are doing your breakdown from your verse, it will look a little different. We will look at that in a moment.
When you are ready to look at the original language in Bible Hub, you will do this from your verse. For our example, we will look at Matthew 6:13. In Bible Hub, you will see this on your screen if you are looking at the ESV:
From this screen, you will click on the number '13' in the blue letters. You will then see this screen:
To get to the breakdown, click on the word, 'Lexicon' in black letters after the versions in the rows above the verse. You will come to something that looks like this:
From this screen, you can see the phrase or word in English, what it was translated from in the language it was written in (Greek in our example), the Strong's #, and the Origin for each one. This is important!! Write down the Strong's # for the words you will be looking at on your template or your paper. Sometimes, the words change from the verse to the translation. Once you do that, click on the Strong's # for each word you are looking at. For our example, we will look at the word "temptation." The Strong's # is G (for Greek) 3986. Click on the blue numbers '3986.' You will see the following screen:
What I would is "temptation or test - both senses can apply simultaneously (depending on the context). The positive sense (test) and negative sense (temptation) are functions of the context (not merely the words themselves)."
Record your findings on your template, journal, or notebook paper for each word.
Step Four: Correlation
Now you’re ready to find cross-references. A cross-reference is a verse that has
a similar theme or topic as the verse that you are studying. It may use similar
words or be on the same topic. According to openbible.info, about 340,000 cross
references identify commonalities between different parts of the Bible—chains of
similar themes, words, events, or people. It is a great tool that helps see how Scripture interprets Scripture.
One way to find cross-references is to use a study Bible. Often a study Bible
will list the cross-references in the middle of the page between the two columns.
To find a cross-reference, look for your verse number. The letters indicate cross-
references for different parts of the verse, different concepts. You can also use Bible Hub online or the App for finding cross- references. On Bible Hub, once you have found your chosen verse, you scroll a little further down and see on the right side of the screen where it says “Cross- references.”
If you keep scrolling a little further down, you will also come to what is known as
the Treasury of Scripture, or TSK for short:
Some verses will have multiple cross-references to choose from and some will
only have a few. Write your chosen cross-references on your template, journal,
or notebook paper. These verses will give you more insight into what the verse
you are studying means and its context.
Step 5: Paraphrase
Writing a paraphrase is one of the most difficult—and most rewarding—things to
do in Bible study. It is difficult because you must study and meditate on your text
until you understand what it means. You cannot just restate a text that you do not
understand. However, it is also rewarding. When you finish paraphrasing a passage
you study or have mapped, you can clearly communicate to others what the text
means. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching
and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Part of that is sharing
what you have learned in wisdom in God’s Word!
Here are some simple tips to help you write out your summary:
What definitions of key words opened your eyes to deeper meanings?
Was there anything from a secondary source that opened your eyes to more
going on in this passage?
What did you learn from the cross-references?
What was the author communicating to the audience?
Remember, paraphrasing is just a fancy word for summarizing what you have
learned in God’s Word in your own words by putting it all together!
Step 6: Application
Now that you understand what the author was communicating, you can find out the
principle that will relate to your own life. How can you relate this passage to your
life? (Hint: Answer one of these 9 questions)
Is there an example for me to follow? (ex. Jesus washing the feet of His disciples in John 13)
Is there a sin to avoid?
Is there a promise to claim? (this would not include promises made to specific individuals or the nation of Israel)
Is there a prayer to repeat? (Psalm 51)
Is there a command to obey? (ex. “meditate on the Word”)
Is there a condition to meet? (ex. Abiding in Christ)
Is there a verse I want to memorize?
Is there a theological truth I need to correct?
Is there something I have been convicted to do or change? (ex. Bad habit)
Step 7: Prayer
Write out a prayer asking God for wisdom, grace, and remembrance to apply this
to your life. Make sure you actually pray it. Pray that the Scripture you just studied
takes root in your heart and mind so that it will produce fruit.
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