Christ-centered Scripture workspace

Place the wording, context, and reasoning side by side.

Work slowly through selected passages. Read the paragraph, compare faithful translations, inspect the Greek with a literal gloss, and distinguish what the text states from what must still be interpreted.

Linked translation set: Scripture references throughout this site open ESV, LSB, NASB, NIV, and NLT together on Bible Gateway. This keeps faithful translations easy to reach while respecting their copyright. Public-domain wording may be displayed onsite more fully; copyrighted wording is quoted only briefly for commentary and comparison.

A repeatable study practice

Use the workspace in four movements.

The order matters. A word study is most useful after the passage has been heard as a paragraph, chapter, book, and part of the whole counsel of Scripture.

1
Read the full paragraph
Notice the speaker, audience, argument, repeated words, and literary setting.
2
Compare faithful translations
Look for agreement first, then identify wording that deserves closer examination.
3
Inspect the Greek and literal gloss
See the wording and order without treating a mechanical gloss as a finished translation.
4
Separate observation from interpretation
State what the wording establishes, then identify the grammatical and contextual questions that remain.

How to read the literal lines: These glosses preserve Greek order and individual word relationships as closely as readable English allows. A hyphenated English phrase may represent one Greek form. The result may sound unnatural. It does not replace grammar, idiom, context, or a complete translation.

Curated passage workbenches

Choose the question you want to examine.

Every panel keeps context, Greek wording, translation comparison, direct observation, and interpretive restraint together.

8 passages shown

Who is Jesus?

John 1:1

Does the missing article require ‘a god’?

Begin with the context: Read John 1:1–18, with special attention to verses 1–3 and 14–18.

John 1:1 · SBLGNT

Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.

Literal word-for-word: In beginning was the Word, and the Word was toward the God, and God was the Word.

The close gloss keeps the final clause in Greek order. It is not intended as polished English.

Translation comparison

The NWT reads ‘the Word was a god.’ Faithful translations read ‘the Word was God.’

Observation

What the wording establishes

John distinguishes the Word from the One he was with, predicates theos of the Word, and then states that every created thing came into being through him.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

A mechanical gloss cannot settle the force of a preverbal predicate noun. Grammar, discourse, and John's complete presentation of the Word must govern the conclusion.

Who is Jesus?

Colossians 1:16

Does the Greek contain the word ‘other’?

Begin with the context: Read Colossians 1:12–20 as one sustained description of the Son.

Colossians 1:16 · SBLGNT

ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα … τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται

Literal word-for-word: because in him were-created the all-things … the all-things through him and for him have-been-created

Hyphenated English phrases show where one Greek form carries several pieces of meaning.

Translation comparison

The NWT supplies ‘other’ with ‘all things.’ No separate Greek word meaning ‘other’ appears in this wording.

Observation

What the wording establishes

Paul says ta panta, ‘all things,’ twice and describes creation as in, through, and for the Son.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

The meaning of ‘firstborn’ must still be examined from the whole paragraph, Paul's usage, and the wider biblical context. A missing word is important evidence, but it is not the entire argument.

Who is Jesus?

Hebrews 1:6

How are God's angels commanded to respond to the Son?

Begin with the context: Read Hebrews 1:1–14 and follow every contrast between the Son and the angels.

Hebrews 1:6 · SBLGNT

καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι θεοῦ

Literal word-for-word: and let-prostrate-themselves-before him all angels of God

The literal line preserves the command and the direction of the action without forcing one English gloss for proskyneō.

Translation comparison

Translations may render proskyneō here as ‘worship’ or ‘pay homage.’ The NWT uses ‘do obeisance.’

Observation

What the wording establishes

Every angel of God is commanded to direct proskyneō toward the Son, while the chapter repeatedly distinguishes the Son from the angels and addresses him in exalted divine language.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

The verb has a range that includes homage and worship. Its force here should be judged from the identity of the recipient and the argument of the entire chapter.

Who is Jesus?

John 8:58

What is unusual about Jesus' claim before Abraham?

Begin with the context: Read John 8:48–59, then compare the claim with the Gospel's wider presentation of Jesus.

John 8:58 · SBLGNT

πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγὼ εἰμί

Literal word-for-word: before Abraham to-come-to-be, I am

The intentionally awkward English preserves the contrast between genesthai and egō eimi.

Translation comparison

Faithful translations preserve ‘I am.’ The NWT reads ‘I have been.’

Observation

What the wording establishes

Abraham is described with a form of becoming or coming into existence, while Jesus says egō eimi. At minimum, Jesus claims existence before Abraham in striking language.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

The precise relationship to Exodus 3 and Isaiah's ‘I am’ sayings is argued from wording and context. It should be presented as a well-supported contextual conclusion, not as though the verse explicitly quotes one Old Testament line.

Who is Jesus?

John 20:28

To whom does Thomas address his confession?

Begin with the context: Read John 20:24–31 and notice how Thomas' confession serves John's stated purpose for the Gospel.

John 20:28 · SBLGNT

ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου.

Literal word-for-word: answered Thomas and said to him: the Lord of-me and the God of-me

The close gloss keeps ‘said to him’ and both possessive expressions visible.

Translation comparison

Major translations agree that Thomas says to Jesus, ‘My Lord and my God.’

Observation

What the wording establishes

John explicitly says Thomas spoke to Jesus and records a direct confession identifying him as Thomas' Lord and God.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

This confession affirms the Son's deity while the Gospel also distinguishes the Son from the Father. It does not collapse the persons into one person.

Holy Spirit

Acts 5:3–4

How does Peter speak about the Holy Spirit?

Begin with the context: Read Acts 5:1–11 and follow Peter's description of the same deceit in verses 3 and 4.

Acts 5:3–4 · SBLGNT

ψεύσασθαί σε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον … οὐκ ἐψεύσω ἀνθρώποις ἀλλὰ τῷ θεῷ

Literal word-for-word: for-you to-lie-to the Spirit the Holy … not you-lied to humans but to God

The mechanical gloss preserves the parallel wording even where natural English would rearrange it.

Translation comparison

The passage describes the object of Ananias' lie first as the Holy Spirit and then as God.

Observation

What the wording establishes

Peter treats lying to the Holy Spirit as lying to God, not merely as deceiving human representatives.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

This parallel belongs to a cumulative New Testament case for the Spirit's divine identity and personal agency. The full doctrine should not be made to rest on one parallel alone.

Salvation and covenant

John 3:3

Does Jesus say ‘born again’ or ‘born from above’?

Begin with the context: Read John 3:1–21, especially Jesus' explanation of birth by the Spirit in verses 5–8.

John 3:3 · SBLGNT

ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, οὐ δύναται ἰδεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ

Literal word-for-word: unless anyone should-be-born from-above/again, not he-is-able to-see the kingdom of God

The paired gloss marks the real semantic range of anōthen rather than pretending one English expression exhausts the wordplay.

Translation comparison

English translations variously emphasize ‘again’ or ‘from above,’ often supplying the alternative in a note.

Observation

What the wording establishes

Jesus says a birth anōthen is necessary to see God's Kingdom, and the following verses explain this birth through the sovereign work of the Spirit.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

A one-word English gloss cannot reproduce every shade of John's wordplay. Nicodemus' misunderstanding and Jesus' explanation must be read together.

Salvation and covenant

1 Timothy 2:5–6

Who is the mediator between God and humanity?

Begin with the context: Read 1 Timothy 2:1–7 and follow the repeated universal language in Paul's appeal.

1 Timothy 2:5–6 · SBLGNT

εἷς γὰρ θεός, εἷς καὶ μεσίτης θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἄνθρωπος Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς, ὁ δοὺς ἑαυτὸν ἀντίλυτρον ὑπὲρ πάντων

Literal word-for-word: one for God, one also mediator of God and of-humans, human Christ Jesus, the-one having-given himself as-ransom on-behalf-of all

English normally changes the order and supplies linking words. This line stays close to the Greek forms so the structure remains visible.

Translation comparison

The wording places the one mediator between God and human beings and describes his self-giving ransom as being on behalf of all.

Observation

What the wording establishes

Paul names one God and one mediator of God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom on behalf of all.

Interpretive guardrail

What still requires interpretation

Claims that Christ mediates only for a limited spiritual class must be tested from this paragraph, the new-covenant passages, and Hebrews as a whole.

Use language tools responsibly

Original-language tools serve the text. They do not replace it.

A lexicon offers possible meanings, not an automatic interpretation. Syntax, literary context, historical setting, authorial usage, and the whole biblical witness determine how a word functions in a passage. Use the literal gloss to see more, then return to the paragraph and test the conclusion.

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