当我们学习圣经时，我们需要工具，因为圣经是来自以色列和其他地区的古老文件。
1. 语言：理解文本的最佳方式是阅读原文的文本，对任何文本、任何语言都是如此。可惜，我们大多数人都没有能力读外国古文，即古希伯来语和古希腊语（两者分别与现代的语言有关，但不一样）。
2. 历史和背景。圣经有它自己的历史背景。它首先并不是写给 21 世纪的我们，而是有一个特定的受众，是文字的原接收者，然后文字被复制并传递给后世，因为它们包含与人生相关的宝贵说话和原则。这些原则是永恒的，适当的应用对我们今天的生活也是有效的。
3. 风俗习惯。最初的接受者有他们的风俗习惯和习惯用语，如果我们不理解
这些的意义，可能使我们在认识信仰的过程中会增加不必要的麻烦。
我们研究圣经是为了认识传达给原受众的原信息。
4. 学习圣经本身也不是终极目的。我们读圣经不是为了认识圣经本身，而是为了认识圣经中所描述的神。圣经记录了古代人与创造我们和万物的那一位神的交往和经历。应特别注意作者从神那里得到的陈述，这通常被翻译成：“雅伟说……”
5. 我们使用现代的电子工具、电脑和智能手机，对经文进行搜索是非常容易，无论是在整本圣经中进行单词搜索、短语搜索（圣经全文是多达 1200 至 2000 页的印刷页，在 英文钦定本KJV 中超过 810,000 个英文单词， 中文和合本超过930,000个汉字）可以在几秒钟内完成搜索，比翻书还快。
查词的重点是让一段经文对另一段经文中的同一个词有所启发和亮光，这样可以通过比较同一个词/短语的用法，来理解在不同的语境中所传递的文意。
We need the Tools when we study the Bible, as the Bible is an ancient document from the land of Israel and beyond.
1. The languages: The best way to understand a text is to read the text in its original language; this is true for any text, any language. However, most of us have not learned to read foreign ancient languages, i.e. ancient Hebrew and Greek (both are related to the modern languages respectively, but not the same).
2. The history & background. The Bible has its own historical background. It was not written to us in the 21st century. There was a specific audience who were the recipients of the writing, then the writings were copied and passed on to later generations as they contain precious sayings and principles pertaining to life. These principles are timeless and proper applications are valid for us to apply to our lives today.
3. The custom & manners. The first recipients had their customs and manners, and idiomatic expressions, if we do not grasp the significance of such, we may be adding unnecessary troubles in our pursuit of faith.
We study the Bible to know the message that is intended to convey to the original audiences.
4. The studying of the Bible is not an end in itself. We do not study the Bible for the sake of knowing the Bible front to back, but to know the God who is described in the Bible. The Bible is a record of ancient people's dealings and experiences with the same God who is the creator of our world and everything. Especial attention should be paid to the statement that the writers received from God, which often is translated into English as: "the LORD says..." In the original Hebrew, the LORD is actually God's Name YHWH. It is unfortunate that LORD has become the subtitute word for YHWH. Reading the text "as YHWH says" is different from "the LORD says". YHWH says is much more direct as we sense the personal God speaking directly to us. Whereas "the LORD", Lord is a title not a name. The direct impact is missing.
5. With our modern electronic tools, computers, and smartphones, searching within the text of the Bible is super easy, whether a word search, a phrase search thru the entire Bible (talking about 1200 to 2000 printed pages, over 810,000 English words in KJV, over 930,000 Chinese characters in CUV ) can be executed in seconds,
The emphasis in the word search method is that we should let the text of one passage gives light & insights to the same word in another text, in such a way the text of the Bible can be understood by comparing the usage of the same word/ phrase in a different context.
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