WEEK TWO OVERVIEW
Section Two: Operation Peace
Ephesians 2
Monday: Weekly Overview Email
- Bible Study Skills: Verse Mapping (below)
Tuesday: Section Two Lesson 1 – Life After Death –
- Summary and study questions (email)
- Discussion of Lesson 1 in online group
Wednesday: Section Two Lesson 2 – A Coming Together as One
- Summary and study questions (email)
- Discussion of Lesson 2 in online group
Thursday: Section Two Lesson 3 – He is Our Peace
- Summary and study questions (email)
- Discussion of Lesson 3 in online group
Friday: Weekly Wrap-up
- Video
- Continue discussion of this week’s lessons
Saturday & Sunday: Use this time to catch up on any lessons you missed this week
Verse Mapping
The first, most important thing to know about verse mapping is: there are no rules! There are no right or wrong ways to map out a verse.
In it’s basic, simplest form verse mapping is writing out a verse, or passage, from the Bible which you want to study more in-depth, leaving spaces between the lines to allow yourself room to work some of the following ideas in studying:
Personalize it – find places in the verse where you can cross out “I/me/you/us/we/them/they” and add your name. Even if this is the only step you use to verse mapping, you will find that it brings a new richness and meaning to the verses.
Highlight it – highlight or circle words that jump out at you, or words you want to define. Use your Bible study references such as Bible dictionaries, Strong’s Concordance, or even an English dictionary to understand these words in a deeper way.
Read it in context – be sure to read the verses before and after your selected text to ensure you understand the entire meaning behind the message. Use the extra spaces around your verse map to write your thoughts as you read.
Cross-Reference it – find others Scriptures that relate to the topic of the verse(s) you have selected. Write the references and the verses on your map. Use them to help understand the overall point the author is trying to convey.
Investigate it – of course we want to be sure we investigate Who? What? When? Where? and Why? of the verse(s)
Relate it – ask yourself: How can I apply this Scripture to my life? Makes notes in the margins around your verse map.
Be creative – remember the first rule of verse mapping? There are no rules! So be creative. You can draw, color, scrapbook, journal, or whatever helps you to understand the verse in a deeper, more personal way. Use different colors, shapes, or symbols to help you study and relate information.
Here is an example of one way Ephesians 2:1 could be verse mapped (remember, there are no rules!)
Click To See A Larger View
If you are interested in some other examples, you can find them here:
Satisfy the Weary Soul – Jeremiah 31: 25
A Renewed Portion – 2 Corinthians 4: 16
A Living Hope – 1 Peter 1: 3
Amazing Love – Ezra 9: 9
If you would like a copy of the verse map journal page, you can find them in our Daily Scripture Reading section. (A special thank you to our partner, Sweet to the Soul, for these journal pages)
Also, remember we have the D.I.V.E. journal pages, too. You can use the sections titled Investigate and Visualize for verse mapping.
Share:
- Have you ever used verse mapping? If so, why do you like including it in your Bible study?
- Do you use another method to help you study Scripture?
Join the conversation in the comment section
That was excellent. The commentary says “a grace by faith salvation does not originate with people it is God’s gift. Since it is by faith, it is not by human effort [works] so no one can boast.” What amazing grace!!! Thank you for the visual on Verse Mapping that was so helpful. LOVE all of the cross reference verses so interesting. And seeing the definitions for GOOD – our works are useful, excellent, upright, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, distinguished, honorable… so very cool.
I love that God makes it so that we can not ever get the glory for something He does. It is all about Him. And it all points back to Him. Reminding us that we need Him in our lives.
And the definitions for “good” when you think about it in the context of our works – oh my goodness! To think that anything I do for Him is useful or excellent?! How many times do we beat ourselves up when God gets “joy, happiness, pleasure, and honor” when we serve Him? So amazing. Almost too much for my mind to comprehend.
I agree – I tend to get a “too good to believe” feeling….
I’ve done verse mapping – but mine isn’t as colorful. I love looking up the meanings of words – even if I already know the meanings. The definitions can include details I hadn’t considered,and I can read them to get a richer understanding of the word.
I love to look up words, even if I think I know their meaning, too. Sometimes the 4th or 5th entry of a definition will just give the verse an extra meaning that I had never considered before.