This post is all about Bible verse mapping – giving you all of my best tips and tricks so you can get started today!
Verse mapping, also known as scripture mapping or Bible charting, is a way to study the Bible verse by verse so that you can dig deeply into God’s word. This is a great method for anyone looking to slow down their Bible study and engage with what God is saying to them.
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What is verse mapping?
Verse mapping is an in-depth Bible study method that goes verse by verse. When you do Bible verse mapping, you create a guide map of the verse, including pertinent information to help you understand and apply the verse to your life.
What is the Purpose?
The purpose of verse mapping is to help you engage with the text and gain a deeper understanding of it. So often, when we read our Bible, it can be easy to skip through and gloss over chapters. When we do this, we miss so many of the intricacies in scripture. Verse mapping allows you to slow down and experience what you are reading. It gives you the tools to dive into the context and meaning of the verse.
Benefits of bible verse mapping
The benefits of scripture mapping are numerous, but can include
- Understanding the context of the verse
- Making connections to other parts of the Bible
- Memorizing the scripture that you are mapping
- Identifying people and geographical locations in the verse
Getting started
Verse mapping is a super simple concept, and once you give it a try, I think you’ll fall in love with this new Bible study method. Here are some ideas to help you get started.
What verses to map
A common question regarding verse mapping is: “What verse should I use?” The good news is that you can use any verse you want to gain a deeper understanding of.
If you do a daily Bible study and find yourself reading over a verse you would like to know more about, test out this Bible study method. You can also find verses that discuss a specific theme you want to know more about, such as salvation, joy, or even anxiety. Another great way to find a verse to map is pulling out a verse you have been wanting to memorize for awhile.
No matter what verse you decide to use, you will be surprised at how much you can learn from it.
Verse mapping supplies
Verse mapping can take as many, or as little, supplies as you want. Some people prefer to use a template when they study, and others like to just use a pen and paper.
Paper
Often, when I verse map, I like to use regular printer paper that I can cut down to the size of my Bible and glue it in to reference the next time I read that verse. However, if I were to use scripture mapping as my main form of Bible study, I might use a sketchbook or pretty journal to keep them all in one place.
Pens and highlighters
You can use whatever pen or pencil you prefer. Some of my favorites are Micron fine-tip pens because you can get them in different sizes and colors, and they write so smoothly. I also always carry Pilot Precise V5 pens with me.
For highlighting words or phrases that stick out to me, I love my Mr. Pen Highlighters. I also enjoy using Crayola colored pencils for highlighting, circling, and underlining words. If I want to inclue a pop of color in my lettering, I love these Stabilo Fine-liner pens.
Creative elements
If you want to get crafty in your Bible verse mapping, that’s totally okay! I love using different alphabet stickers and stamps. For decorative detailing, I love using these faith floral foil stickers because they always seem to match the theme I am mapping. I also love using scrapbook paper to add a fun dimension to my projects.
Bibles and Journals
If you enjoy Bible verse mapping so much that you want to make it a daily habit, this 52-week mapping journal may be perfect for you. Another 52-week journal offers hand-drawn elements, creating a fun aesthetic. This scripture-mapping Bible gives Bible book introductions for each book, giving you important context, and features more than 400 mapping pages. This Bible Study journal contains 50 guided pages in a spiral bound format with suggested verses if you are feeling stuck.
Steps of Bible Verse mapping
Now that you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to start verse mapping! Here are some of the steps I take to keep me on track. It’s important to note that you do not have to follow these steps in this order – everyone does scripture mapping a little bit differently. The more you practice this Bible study method, the more you will find your own flow and what works best for you. This is just an outline to help you get started.
Choose a verse and write it down
Once you have a verse you would like to know more about, write it down on your piece of paper. Make sure you write it with enough room between the words and lines that you will be able to circle, highlight, or underline key elements of the verse.
Where you write the verse is up to you. Most of the time, the verse is written in the middle of the paper to give you room to work all around it, but you can also write it off to one side if you prefer.
Understand the context
Once you have the verse written down, you will want to understand the context of the whole verse before breaking it down. To do this, read the whole passage the verse is found in. Often, you need the previous and following verses to truly understand what the author is trying to say.
Compare different translations
Now that you understand the context, go ahead and compare different translations of the verse. If your main translation is word-for-word, then choose a good thought-for-thought comparison. I like to compare at least five different translations when verse mapping. I also like to read the entire passage when comparing translations, and not just the verse. It helps solidify the context of the passage, and I can already start to see similarities between the different versions. This helps me to know what the translators consider important.
Look for key findings within the verse
Now that you have a solid understanding of the passage and verse, go ahead and do a deep-dive into the verse. You will want to look for anything that stands out to you. Here are some questions to help get you started
Are there any people mentioned?
If there are any people mentioned in the verse, do you know who they are? You may need to take some time to look them up.
Are there any geographical locations mentioned?
Just as with people, If there is a geographical location, do you know the importance of it. Where else is that place mentioned in scripture?
Are there any repeated words?
Whenever there is a repeated word in the Bible, pay attention! You know it is going to be important. Why do you think it is repeated in this verse?
Are there any contrasts or comparisons?
Are there and if/then or now/later statements? Often, contrasts and comparisons give you a lot of insight into why the verse is important and how to apply it to your life.
Are there any commands for today?
Finally, you will want to look and see if there is a command for today. Sometimes in the Bible (such as in the Old Testament law) there were commands for a specific people (Israelites) during a specific time (living in the promised land). Other times, some commands last to this day. What kind of command is in your verse?
Look at Hebrew/greek
One thing that I cannot stress enough when verse mapping is looking into what the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) word meant. I use Blue Letter Bible to do all my research because it is a free online resource that is super easy to navigate. You can also use the Lexicon offered by BibleHub, but I find that one harder to navigate.
No matter what tool you use, researching the original meaning of a word is key to understanding your verse better.
Cross reference when verse mapping
Another important step when verse mapping is to cross reference your verse with other verses in the Bible. Cross-referencing is simply finding other verses that have similar themes or commonalities. When you use Blue Letter Bible, you can click on any of the Hebrew or Greek words, and it will show you all of the other places in the Bible that that verse is used. I also enjoy using OpenBible to type in whatever verse I am mapping, and it gives a list of cross reference verses.
Interpretation and application – The key to a good verse map
Once you have done all of the background research into your verse, it’s time to sit back and reflect on what you learned. What does this verse mean in your own words? Write it down! The goal of this exercise is not to rewrite the Bible, but rather to internalize what you’ve just spent time doing. You want to make this verse your own so that you will remember the wisdom you gained from it, while staying true to the Biblical meaning.
Finally, it’s time to see what you can apply to your life from this verse. James 1:22-24 tells us that anyone who hears the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks in a mirror but immediately forgets what they look like. Don’t be the person with great knowledge about what the Bible says, yet fail to let it affect you. Be transformed by what you’ve verse mapped.
Reflect on verse mapping
So there you have it: Bible verse mapping is a transformative way to deepen your understanding of Scripture and draw closer to God. By slowing down and engaging with each verse, you’ll uncover the rich layers of meaning within the Bible. Whether you’re a seasoned believer or just beginning your faith journey, verse mapping offers a fresh and creative approach to studying God’s Word. Start your journey today and experience the profound impact it can have on your spiritual growth.
