Text first
Begin with the passage, surrounding paragraphs, and book flow. Compare translations only to clarify wording after reading carefully.
Write down: what changed or became clearer.
Support resources
Use resources in the right order
Resources should serve your study, not replace it. Read, observe, and ask interpretation questions before leaning on outside helps.
Cross-references
Move in circles: same passage, same book, same author, same covenant/testament, whole Bible last.
Use only: references with real shared words, themes, argument, event, or doctrine.
Commentaries last
Use commentaries to check, correct, and sharpen work already done.
Write down: where a resource corrected your first conclusion.
Resource guardrails
- Do not let a dictionary define a word against its sentence context.
- Do not build doctrine from an unclear or disputed passage alone.
- Do not force a cross-reference just because it uses one similar word.
- Do not become dogmatic where Scripture is not conclusive.