Homiletics

Doing a word study

Pick one word from the passage and dig into what it means, with help finding definitions and other places it appears.

Sometimes one word unlocks a whole passage. A word study helps you slow down and look closely at it: what it means, where else Scripture uses it, what it means here, and what it asks of you.

Start a word study

  • From the This week card on the home screen, tap Word study.
  • Or type a passage into Study another passage… and choose Word study. A single verse works well, like Romans 3:10.

Then type your word or short phrase into the Word card at the top. Once it’s filled in, the app can suggest content for the next two sections.

A word study on Righteous from Romans 3:10, showing the verse above the Word, Definition and Other usage cards.
A word study on “righteous” from Romans 3:10.

The sections

Definition

What does the word mean, in plain terms?

  • Tap + to see candidate definitions from a dictionary, then tap one to use it.
  • If you’ve already written a definition, you can replace it or add the suggestion below yours.
  • Suggestions come from an English dictionary, so they appear when you’re reading an English Bible. In other languages, write your own.

Example: Right with God: meeting His standard, fully in the right before the Judge.

Other usage

Where else does this word or idea appear in Scripture?

  • Tap + to search Bible Gateway for the word.
  • Tap a result to add its reference to your list. Add as many as are helpful.

Example: Genesis 15:6, Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Philippians 3:9.

Contextual meaning

What did the author mean by the word in this passage? Look at the surrounding verses, not just the word on its own.

Example: Paul quotes Psalm 14 to show that no one, Jew or Gentile, meets God’s standard on their own.

Deeper meaning

Is there anything from the original language, a commentary or your own wider study that adds depth? How does the rest of Scripture shape the word? A Strong’s concordance or Blue Letter Bible can help here.

Example: The Greek δίκαιος (dikaios) describes someone in the right before a judge. Romans 3:21–26 answers verse 10: God gives His righteousness through faith in Christ.

Application

How should this truth shape your life? Be specific, personal and practical.

Example: Stop measuring myself against others and rest in Christ’s righteousness.

When you’re done

Once every section is filled in, you’ll see Word study done with buttons to Print or Share it as a PDF. Each section has a ? with a short reminder of what it’s for.

Prefer pen and paper? Print a blank word-study worksheet.