Have you heard of verse mapping?
Verse mapping is a technique developed by author Kristy Cambron to study a particular verse of scripture more deeply. I’ve been hearing the term floated about for a few years, but I’ve really enjoyed learning more about it after receiving this Bible for review. The structure of this particular version is great!
How does it work?
Verse mapping means getting real about studying the Bible. More than simply reading a verse or Scripture passage, verse mapping uses Bible study tools to research what you’ve read—to learn about what God is saying and how you can apply his Word to your life. The NIV Verse Mapping Bible includes 350 partially completed verse maps to get you started.
Go beyond just reading the Bible.
Verse mapping means getting real about studying the Bible. More than simply reading a verse or Scripture passage, verse mapping means using Bible study tools to research what you’ve just read in the Bible—to learn more about what God is saying to you and how you can apply his Word to your life today.
In the NIV Verse Mapping Bible, author Kristy Cambron expands her verse mapping curriculum series to include verses from the entire Bible, showing you how to compare Bible translations, pick out meaningful words, and delve into the true meaning of each verse using starter verse maps and prompts. Verse mapping will help you study the historical context, transliteration, translation, connotation, and theological framework of a verse. This unique study technique includes exploring Hebrew and Greek word studies, finding connections in Scripture, comparing Bible translations, and learning as much as you can from your time in God’s Word.
Verse mapping involves five steps:
- Choose: Select a verse and write it out.
- Compare: Record this verse in two or three other Bible translations and underline key words that are the same or different between translations.
- Research: Look up the Hebrew or Greek meaning for the underlined words and record it.
- Consider: Ask questions of the verse. Imagine what it would be like to have experienced what’s happening. Read the verses surrounding this verse and use other study tools to dig even deeper, if you prefer.
- Apply: What is God saying to you? How does this verse relate to your life today?
I love the structure and beauty provided with this new Verse Mapping Bible! This is a wonderful way to work through scripture at your own pace, unpacking scripture to learn more about how it specifically speaks to you. I love this process – it feels academic and yet personal. It’s like journaling, and you can certainly put your own spin on it, but it’s also structured to help you dive deep.
Read on for more of the great features of this particular Bible:
This is a hardback Bible with a textured cover. It has a really nice feel and a professional appearance. It also comes with the dust cover seen in the photo above.
Inside, there’s an explanation from Kristy Cambron about how verse mapping works. She designed this study method, and her directions are clear and concise.
The first page of each book contains general information that you as the reader should know. It provides a great intro to each book, but this isn’t a study Bible – there isn’t any other additional information or commentary anywhere else. In the back, however, you will find a very simple topical index.
You can see a few really great features in the picture above. First, all pages with Biblical text have wide margins with pale lines, perfect for taking notes.
Secondly, there are many templates for your verse mapping studies spread throughout the Bible. They take two forms: completely blank and partially filled in. The one above has a chosen verse with a few words picked out for further study. You can then finish the study and fill in the rest for yourself.
The partially filled in templates are scattered through the book. There is a blank one at the end of every book, however, and these are great places to do a deep study – perhaps into scriptures that are close together or to maximize the verses studied in each book.
Verse mapping is something I want to do more of. I like digging into scripture, and this method is very appealing to me. Without study materials in this particular Bible, however, you may want to use a good study Bible or a website like www.biblegateway.com, as well, so that you can look up the word meanings and additional translations quickly and easily. That allows for less time flipping pages and more time contemplating scripture.
Are you interested in trying verse mapping for yourself? Kristy Cambron hosts a private Facebook group where you can post your maps and learn from others. It’s fun to see how people put their own spin on the process. There are many helpful tips, links to websites for research, and information about ways that people have personalized this.
Would you like to have your own verse mapping Bible? Enter here to win your own, or purchase your own copy here.
How do you study the Bible? Share your methods or even your want-to-s in the comments below!
