Word Studies

Every issue of Bible Study Magazine contains a “Greek Word Study without Greek” or a “Hebrew Word Study without Hebrew.” We teach you how to study the Bible in the original languages without knowing the original languages. Check out past articles by previous columnist Andrew Perrin below.

Discovering the Power of Luke's Gospel

In Luke 8:46, a desperately ill woman touches Jesus in order to be healed. Jesus then says, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me” (Luke 8:46 ESV). What does the word “power” mean in the passage? What precisely went out from Jesus? To find out, we need to investigate the Greek word behind the English word “power”.

Andrew Perrin, Vol. 1, Issue 1: pgs. 37-38. PDF (2.02 MB)

Soul Searching in Deuteronomy 6:5

In Deut 6:5, Moses admonishes the Israelites to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (ESV). But how well does the English translation “soul” in this verse convey the meaning of the underlying Hebrew word?

Andrew Perrin, Vol. 1, Issue 2: pgs. 35-36. PDF (1.96 MB)

Figuring out the Firstborn in Colossians 1:18

In Col 1:18 Paul describes Jesus as “the firstborn of the dead.” How can this be when Lazarus was resurrected before Jesus (John 11:44)? To understand what Paul meant here, we must investigate the meaning of the Greek word behind the English word “firstborn.”

Andrew Perrin, Vol. 1, Issue 3: pgs. 35-36. PDF (889 KB)

Crude Joking in Ephesians 5:4

In Ephesians 5:4 Paul warns readers against telling dirty jokes: "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking." Two of the words in this verse occur only here in the New Testament. In this word study, you will learn how to study a word that occurs only once in the New Testament.

Andrew Perrin, Vol. 1, Issue 4: pgs. 41-42. PDF (346 KB)

Gotta Have Faith

Isn't faith a belief in Jesus' death, resurrection and our subsequent salvation? Or does faith entail more than this, as Hebrews 11:1, the only place a definition of "faith" is provided in the New Testament, seems to indicate? For the author of Hebrews, "faith" is not just about a distant reality but about how our actions connect to that reality.

Andrew Perrin, Vol. 1, Issue 5: pgs. 36-37. PDF (300 KB)

A Fire Breathing God in Psalm 18:8

In Psalm 18:8, God erupts on the scene with smoke pouring out of His nostrils and "fire" billowing from His mouth. Sounds more like a dragon than the creator of the universe. Let's figure out what's going on here by examining the symbolism associated with the Hebrew word behind the translation "fire."

Andrew Perrin, Vol. 1, Issue 6: pgs. 42-43. PDF (335 KB)