When studying the word of God, it is important that you set yourself up for success! After praying and asking God to open your understanding, there are some practical things we believe are helpful to do before diving in. The most important study tool is the word of God and anything else should be compared to it—so grab your Bible and let’s get started!
Strong’s Dictionary
Did you know that the Bible wasn’t originally written in English? The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew and the New Testament was in Greek! Knowing that, one tool that can be really helpful is Strong’s Concordance and Dictionary. This book takes the primary Hebrew and Greek letters used in the Bible and puts them in alphabetical order with an assigned number so you can identify the words in the original language and get useful definitions.
Hebrew was originally a language of pictographs which also point to the original meaning of both letters and words. This helps you gain an understanding of what was originally meant in scripture without anything getting lost in translation. Sign up for our Hebrew 101 email series to learn more.
Blue Letter Bible
This powerful tool is a website and an app that is completely FREE! Blue Letter Bible (BLB) incorporates Strong’s numbers with grammar to help you dig deeper into the word of God. Verse by verse, word by word, Blue Letter Bible allows you to see the scriptures in its original language. It provides helpful definitions of those and best of all we have a tutorial and free course for you to learn all things BLB!
Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary
In the English language, through generations we’ve witnessed communication evolve in many ways. We’ve seen how something like jargon, sarcasm, or even tone can change the entire meaning of a word. This is why context matters! This also means that having accurate definitions of words and phrases is imperative when studying.
The Bible was translated into English hundreds, yes hundreds of years ago and the meaning of words change over time. This dictionary allows you to see what a word meant in English then and not just what it means right now. We recommend using the Amazon Kindle version so you can look up words on your computer, tablet, and phone.
Just Word Academy
We couldn’t give Bible study tools without mentioning our favorite — Just Word Academy! This amazing website and app is FREE and provides sound Bible study resources including classes, courses, worksheets, and more. It is searchable, systematic and don’t forget: THERE’S AN APP! Download it now or visit the website today!
When you study, it is important that you have the right tools and that each one aligns with the Word of God. Keep studying, and keep growing as you dive deeper into His word! There is nothing like it.
