Questions tagged [word-study]
Investigation into the meaning or use of an individual word across a specific Biblical text or collection. This can include etymology, morphology, and usage as the word appears in text. This should not be exhaustive for all uses through the entire Bible or testament for frequently used words.
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Is there any deeper meaning to the word translated as 'potsherd' in Job 2:8?
I am looking at the word translated as 'potsherd' in Job 2:8 and was wondering if anyone came across any other OT evidence that suggests there is a deeper/symbolic meaning behind the fragment of ...
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What does the term in Job 1:7 and 2:2 mean?
In both Job 1:7 and 2:2 Satan says to God:
And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down ...
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John the Baptist compared with Samson, Samuel via Nazirite vow
The Bible mentions about three people who were dedicated by their parents to be Nazirites already from birth. These people were Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. Jesus said:
Mat 11:11 (NIV) "...
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Law of God vs Law of Christ
The phrase "Law of Christ" appears only twice in the NT, namely, 1 Cor 9:21 & Gal 6:2. In the first of these, we read:
To those without the law I became like one without the law (...
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Is "a thousand generations" declaration from God that Earthly World will last for at least 30000 years?
In Exodus 20:6 (in some translations), Deuteronomy 7:9 and 1Chronicles 16:15 the phrase "thousand generations" had mentioned, does this mean that the Earthly World will last for at least thirty ...
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What is the "Glory" that the Kings of the earth bring into the "New Jerusalem"?
I am reading in the book of Revelation (ESV bible) about "The New Jerusalem," Chapter 21:22-27 and it is written,
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the
Almighty and ...
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Examining the New International Version's translation of (phusis) nature in Galatians 4:8 and (morphe) form/nature in Philippians 2:6-7
Galatians 4:8 NIV Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves
to those who by nature are not gods.
by nature
φύσει (physei)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5449: From phuo; growth, ...
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What does "justified in the Spirit" refer to in 1 Timothy 3:16?
What does justified in the Spirit refer to in
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of
godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,
seen of angels, ...
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"Wine" vs. "new wine" in Hosea 4:11
Hosea 4:11 reads (NKJV, emphasis added):
“Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.
What's the difference between "wine" and "new wine"? Is it that "wine" is ...
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What is the meaning and best translation of μονή in John 14:2?
The word μονή in John 14:2 has been translated in multiple ways:
My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? (NIV)
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Does "the partial" (1 Cor 14:10b) allude to the imperfect nature of the "Spiritual gifts" or refer to the imperfect users and their use?
Context: 1 Cor 13:8-12 (ESV)
"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy ...
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Is Exodus 21:22 about a premature birth or a miscarriage?
Exodus 21:22-25 reads (emphasis added):
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman'...
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The meaning of "know" in Gen. 4:17
I am wondering about the use of "know" in the sexual sense in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., "[Cain] knew his wife" in Gen. 4:17). Is this an euphemism by the first translators into English, or was this ...
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What is meant by "reward" in the context of "And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6)?
Matthew 6:2-4 (ESV):
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to ...
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Ephesians 6:1 - Are Adults Commanded to Obey Their Parents?
I understand that children, τέκνα, is not a term that is age limited. Therefore, does a faithful reading of Ephesians 6:1 require adult Christian children to obey their parents?
Ephesians 6:1
...
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What does the "rod of an almond tree" in Jer 1:11 refer to?
In Jeremiah 1:11, what does the "rod of an almond tree" refer to?
11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
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In Matthew 12:31 does Διὰ τοῦτο refer to the preceeding or proceeding verse?
Is Jesus referring to Matthew 12:30 and using it to explain Matthew 12:31 when He uses Διὰ τοῦτο? Or does the rest of Matthew 12:31 explain Matthew 12:30?
Matthew 12:30 Whoever is not with me is ...
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Is it possible for the meaning of the name Michael to be rendered as a statement rather than a question?
Abarim publications has the following definition and etymology for the Hebrew name Michael:
Meaning
Who Is Like God?, What Is God Like?
Etymology
From (1) מי (mi), "who?", (2) כ (ke), "...
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What is the “Light” of Genesis 1:3?
In Genesis 1:3 (ESV), it is written,
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
The Hebrew word which is translated into English as "light" is אֹור (or) (Strong's H216).
Is this "...
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Is the "ark of the covenant" mentioned in Revelation 11:19 same as the "ark" mentioned in Exodus 25:10?
Is the ark of the covenant mentioned in
Revelation 11:19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark
of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of
lightning, ...
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What were the four standards around which the tribes of Israel were camped (Numbers 2:1-34)?
H1714
Original: דּגל
Transliteration: degel
BDB Definition:
1) banner, standard
Numbers 2:17 (NKJV)
"And the tabernacle of meeting shall move out with the camp of the
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What do the words "boasts" & "knows mean in Jeremiah 9:24
Jeremiah 9:24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he
understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast
love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things ...
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Fourth plague in Egypt--what was it?
This is how the fourth plague is described in Exodus chapter 8:20-21
(טז) וַיֹּאמֶר יְדֹוָד אֶל משֶׁה הַשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וְהִתְיַצֵּב
לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה הִנֵּה יוֹצֵא הַמָּיְמָה וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו כֹּה ...
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What does "obey the truth" mean in Romans 2:8?
What does obey the truth mean in this verse?
Romans 2:8
but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey
the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
What is the truth ...
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What does sitting at the right hand of someone mean with respect to authority? (Heb 1:3, Mt 20:23)
What does sitting at the right hand of someone mean with respect to authority? (Heb 1:3, Mt 20:23)
It has been proposed that before the Word became flesh he had the authority of God because he was God....
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Translation of προσκυνεω in Matthew 4:9-10 vs 28:17
The New World Translation (NWT) translates προσκυνεω and προσκυνεω in Matthew 4:8-11 like so (emphasis mine):
Again the Devil took him along to an unusually high mountain and
showed him all the ...
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What could the future significance of the 2300 evenings and mornings, mentioned in Dan, 8, represent? Antiochus' later persecution of the Jews aside
Besides there being a general consensus of opinion (see Biblehub.com/commentaries on Dan, 8:14, 8:26) that Daniel in his vision is previewing Antiochus Epiphanes' persecution of the Jews, in the 2nd ...
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What does the word harpagmos mean in Philippians 2:6?
MOUNCE renders it:
who, although he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with
God a thing to be grasped,
Westcott and Hort / [NA27 variants] ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ
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"I am" in Greek Septuagint translation of Exodus 3:14 vs. John 8:58 - how do they compare?
Exodus 3:14 YLT
And God saith unto Moses, 'I AM THAT WHICH I AM;' He saith also, 'Thus dost thou say to the sons of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
How does the translation of the Greek ...
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How might the NIV justify putting "husband" in John 1:13?
John 1:13 "children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" NIV.
Also: NET Bible "a husband's desire".
Weymouth N.T. "the will ...
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"the Holy Spirit" vs. "the Spirit" in Acts 2:4 -What are the meaning and reference differences?
Can the Holy Spirit, the Person, be a "medium" (be filled with) and an "agent" (gave the utterance) at the same time?
English translations added "the" and capitalized the ...
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Why were Japhetic peoples the only ones to be described as gentiles in the table of nations? Genesis 10:5?
Genesis 10:5 (KJV)
5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
The word "gentile" is only mentioned once ...
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What Hebrew meaning does "Bel" or "Baal" and Baalim in Jeremiah 50:2 have or signify?
Jeremiah 50:2 ASV
Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to ...
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Is there a way to search the Septuagint for a string of words eg. "Τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί"?
I have tools to search for the lemma, or the exact form.
But sometimes, as in this case, I really need the string of words. Using any one word would bring up too many hits.
Obviously, I need to view ...
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What does fire mean in the context of "divided tongues, as it were of fire" (Acts 2:3)?
Acts 2:3 (YLT):
3 and there appeared to them divided tongues, as it were of fire; it sat also upon each one of them,
What does fire mean in this context? And how is the fire related to the divided ...
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"Be Perfect" (Mt. 5:48) - a stand-alone commandment, a summary of the Sermon on the Mount, or the conclusion of the teaching on loving one's enemy?
Note: this is not the same question as those which seek the meaning of "Be Perfect" in itself. Here, the question is what "Be Perfect" refers to in the text.
In Matthew 5:48 Jesus ...
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What is the significance of "Thunder" in "to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder". Mark 3:17?
Mark 3:16-17
"He appointed the twelve: Simon [to whom he gave the name Peter]; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James [to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of ...
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What would be a good translation of 'poiēma'?
Two verses use the Greek ποίημα (G4161):
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has ...
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Greek: Jerusalem, why is this sometimes plural?
I'm trying to understand the use of the city name Jerusalem in the New Testament. In some places, it appears as a proper noun, singular, feminine (Strongs 2419), And then in other places, it appears ...
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How had God hedged in Job? (Job 3:23)
How had God hedged in Job in Job 3:23?
Job Speaks
Job 3:23 Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in?
Compare or contrast Job 1:10 (1:8-10 but especially ...
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What did Satan mean, when he replied to God, "Skin for Skin"?
In the Book of Job, after Job has went through his first test from Satan there is another gathering in Heaven and, once again, Satan is there (Job 2:1-3). The result of this gathering is that Job will ...
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To which beginning is the word 'beginning' (arche) referring in the Gospel of John, outside of the prologue?
The standard reading of John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God."
is that the beginning - ἀρχῇ (archē) - refers to the old beginning, i.e., ...
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Addressing someone as "epistates" (Ἐπιστάτα)
In the New Testament the Greek word used for 'Lord' is often 'kurios' or 'Kyrie', a transliteration of Greek Κύριε (Kyrie), vocative case of Κύριος (Kyrios). I understand and believe the ...
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What are the Hebrew/OT/Aramaic equivalents of the words ἀπιστία (unbelief) or ἄπιστος (unbelieving), such as in Romans 4:20? [closed]
I am struck that these words/concepts are used frequently in the New Testament by speakers (Jesus and Paul among others, including Romans 4:20), who would have been (presumably) speaking/thinking in ...
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What clues from John's general usage of 'the word' (or similar terms) help us to understand the referent of 'the word' in John's prologue?
Much debate has been had over the use of 'the word' in John's prologue. Many early English translations translated the relevant pronoun in John 1:2-4 as 'it' instead of 'he', suggesting the referent ...
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What is the difference between “anger” and “wrath”?
Anger and wrath are listed separately in a list in Colossians 3:8, and Ephesians 4:26 might indicate that there is some difference in Paul’s mind between the term anger and the term wrath.
Col 3:8 - ...
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Is the sealed book of Dan. 12:4 the same as the open book in Rev. 10?
The book that Daniel was told to seal, is that the same as the little book that was opened in the angel’s hand in Rev. 10?
Daniel 12:4 reads:
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, ...
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In what significant ways would the Prophet that was to come be similar to Moses? Deut 18:15
Deuteronomy 18:15 (NKJV)
" The LORD your God will raise up for you a
Prophet like me from your
midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear
1) According to this passage, in what ways was ...
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Was there a Biblical change of day when Jesus sat and ate the Passover, and was there a change of day when Joseph came to the cross the first time? [duplicate]
If there was a Biblical change of day when Jesus sat and ate the Passover, and there was a change of day when Joseph came to the cross (the first time), this would show major differences between what ...
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What is the meaning of the phrase 'only true God' in John 17:3?
In John 17:3, Jesus addressed the Father as 'the only true God'' which semantically means that no one else is true God except the Father. However, Jesus is also addressed as ''God'' in the same gospel ...
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