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NASB | 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Timothy 2:15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. |
Subject: The Paraphrase Test |
Bible Note: The Paraphrase Test: See If Your Paraphrase Makes Sense ____________________ "Sum it up in your own words..." and then "...see if your paraphrase makes sense when inserted in the passage." ____________________ Never Read a Bible Verse (Excerpt from: Never Read a Bible Verse By Gregory Koukl) '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? 'Here it is: Never read a Bible verse. That's right, never read a Bible verse. Instead, always read a paragraph at least. (...) 'Stand back from the verse and look for breaks in the narrative that identify major units of thought. Ask, "What in this paragraph or group of paragraphs gives any clue to the meaning of the verse?" 'There's a reason this little exercise is so important. Words have different meanings in different contexts (that's what makes puns work). When we consider a verse in isolation, one meaning may occur to us. But how do we know it's the right one? Help won't come from the dictionary. Dictionaries only complicate the issue, giving us more choices, not fewer. Help must come from somewhere else close by: the surrounding paragraph. 'With the larger context now in view, you can narrow your focus and speculate on the meaning of the verse itself. Sum it up in your own words. 'Finally and this is critical see if your paraphrase makes sense when inserted in the passage. Does it dovetail naturally with the bigger picture? 'Here is an excellent example of how effective this paraphrase technique can be. (...) "If I Be Lifted Up" 'John 12:32 is another case where a phrase can have two widely divergent meanings. It's not uncommon for worship leaders to quote this statement of Jesus: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." 'We "lift up" the Lord when we exalt Him and declare His glory. If we focus on Jesus and ascribe glory to Him, the power of Christ is released to transform the hearts of those listening and they are drawn to Him. This is the meaning the worship leader has in mind, but it isn't what Jesus is talking about. 'When we apply our paraphrase test by adding the very next verse, the results look like this: "‘And I, if I be exalted before the people, will draw all men to Myself.' But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die" (John 12:32-33). 'Oops. Praising Jesus will kill Him? I don't think so. No ambiguity now. In this instance, being "lifted up" clearly means to be crucified. 'Understanding this phrase in context sheds light on another familiar passage, John 3:14-15: "And as Moses lifted up [raised in the air] the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up [raised in the air] that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life." 'Our paraphrase looks like this: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be crucified that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life." 'This makes perfect sense. Jesus had to be crucified before salvation could be offered, an appropriate lead-in to the verse that comes next, the most famous salvation verse in the world: John 3:16.' (..) '[Remember] our basic rule: Never read a Bible verse. Instead, read a paragraph, at least. Always check the context. Observe the flow of thought. Then focus on the verse. 'Remember, meaning always flows from the top down, from the larger units to the smaller units. A reflection on a Bible passage from a sermon or a devotional may be edifying, encouraging, and uplifting. If it is not the message of the text, though, it lacks biblical authority even when the quote comes right out of the Word of God. 'If you will do this one thing if you will read carefully in the context applying the paraphrase principle you will begin to understand the Bible as God intended. Without the bigger picture you'll be lost. 'Only when you are properly informed by God's Word the way it is written in its context can you be transformed by it. Every piece becomes powerful when it's working together with the whole. 'It's the most important practical lesson I've ever learned…and thing single most important thing I could ever teach you.' ____________________ Source:Never Read a Bible Verse By Gregory Koukl To read more go to: www.str.org At this website, under "Search Stand to Reason", enter the words: never read a Bible verse Gratia vobis et pax (Grace to you and peace), John |
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Questions and/or Subjects for 2 Tim 2:15 | Author | ||
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vikki.bbicesk | ||
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reitzloff | ||
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timmania | ||
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anita drew | ||
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geostephone | ||
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geostephone | ||
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kalos | ||
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JesusFreakk | ||
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Aromaofchrist | ||
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aflame |