In Christian communities, Bible studies are the personal study of the Bible, often by average people, as a private or special spiritual practice. The Bible is considered to be God's word written and therefore holds special importance for Christians. Some denominations might call this biblical study or devotion; others have other meanings. Regardless of how it is interpreted or called, Bible studies can be an important part of a person's life.
One such bible study is the Concordance. The Concordance is a compilation of passages or books that all agree on the meaning of the passage. Usually three or four scholars on the team all agree on whether or not a certain section should be included in the Bible reading. If any disagreement exists, the differences are settled by an expert from either side. This allows all to study the Bible together, thus bringing the gospel into the lives of all through the passages that each choose.
The bible study that is most famous is the Bible Concordance. There are many different versions, which date back to the early Christian era and continue to be used today. The first official edition was published in 16 Augustine and has been used ever since. Each chapter is written by either a scholar or a trained layperson. Verses that scholars consider the greatest are written in italics, while scriptures that laypeople consider less important are listed in normal lettering.
Some of the sections of the bible study that are commonly used are the New Testament, Old Testament, the life of Jesus, the Book of Acts, the revelation, and the book of Revelation. Most bible studies also have essays, written by scholars, to give further insight into the biblical passages. Some of these essays deal with the historical setting of the book, what it's about, and what the authors were trying to say.
A typical bible study will have twenty-five verses to read from the New Testament, twenty-four from the Old Testament, and one from the Book of Acts. Then there are topical guides, that give some background on who Jesus was, how He lived, what He taught, and how the followers of Jesus took up their life following him. The most popular guide to the New Testament is the book of Acts. It tells the life of Jesus, from his birth to His death. Verses in Acts that outline the steps Jesus took, and the ministries he led can be used as an outline for future bible studies.
The other main type of bible study is called an inductive study. An example of this is a conversation between a scholar and a believer. The former reads a passage from the New Testament, and the latter reads a passage from the Old Testament. They then sit and chat about what they have learned, and what they think the author was trying to say. This type of bible study allows both believers and scholars to draw on each others' knowledge and learn more about the passage.
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