The Context Blog
Notes on Scripture in context, study guides, and updates from the team.
Cornerstone guides
Foundational pieces on how to read Scripture in context.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible explained — and why a Christian reader might use it
By The Context Bible team on May 23, 2026
The Orthodox Jewish Bible is a modern English translation that preserves the Hebrew and Yiddish vocabulary of Jewish faith. What it is, who it's for, what it sounds like, and what a Christian reader gains by reading it alongside a familiar translation.KJV vs NIV vs ESV vs NASB: which Bible translation should you read?
By The Context Bible team on May 23, 2026
A plain-English comparison of the four most-read English Bible translations — translation philosophy, source texts, strengths, weaknesses, and who each one is best for. Includes a side-by-side passage and which ones are in The Context Bible app.How to read Paul's letters: the historical setting of each one
By The Context Bible team on May 22, 2026
Every letter Paul wrote was sent to a real church facing a real problem. A short guide to the date, location, audience, and central concern of each epistle — and why reading them as real letters changes how you read them.How to tell good Bible scholarship from bad: a practical guide
By The Context Bible team on May 21, 2026
Bible scholarship is a tool, like a microscope: it can reveal what's actually there or distort what isn't. A practical guide to the markers of good scholarship, the tells of bad scholarship, and how to read both with discernment.The four kinds of biblical context every reader should know
By The Context Bible team on May 20, 2026
Historical, cultural, literary, canonical: the four lenses serious Bible readers use to understand what a passage meant. A practical guide with examples from Scripture and how to study each one.Catholic Public Domain Version vs Latin Vulgate: what is the difference?
By The Context Bible team on May 19, 2026
The Vulgate is Jerome's 4th-century Latin Bible. The Catholic Public Domain Version is a modern English translation of that Latin text, freely available. What each one is, why both matter, and who might read them.Bible study with kids: making historical context age-appropriate
By The Context Bible team on May 18, 2026
Children can handle far more of the Bible's real setting than we often give them credit for. A practical guide to bringing historical context — Jewish festivals, Roman politics, ancient agriculture — into family Bible reading at a level that lands.Best free Bible apps for context and serious study (2026 honest guide)
By The Context Bible team on May 17, 2026
An honest comparison of the best free Bible apps for readers who want context, scholarship, and multiple translations — not just devotional reading. YouVersion, Bible Gateway, Blue Letter Bible, Olive Tree, and The Context Bible compared.What is the "Berean approach" to Bible study?
By The Context Bible team on May 16, 2026
The Bereans of Acts 17 were called noble for receiving teaching eagerly and then searching the Scriptures daily to verify it. A practical guide to what their three-part discipline looks like for modern readers — and why it is the right model for using scholarship, history, and the early church alongside the Bible itself.Welcome to The Context Bible
By The Context Bible team on May 16, 2026
A Bible app built around one idea — that the text deserves to be understood, not just read. Here is what the app is, who it is for, and what is coming next.What does the Bible say about…
Long-form theme studies on the big questions of the Christian life.
What does the Bible say about love?
By The Context Bible team on June 23, 2026
Biblical love is more than feeling — it is sacrificial, faithful, and grounded in the character of God Himself. A guide to the Hebrew and Greek vocabulary, what 1 Corinthians 13 actually says, and how love shapes every other commandment.What does the Bible say about prayer?
By The Context Bible team on June 23, 2026
A careful walk through what Scripture teaches about prayer — the Hebrew and Greek vocabulary, what Jesus modeled, what Paul prescribed, what the Psalms patterned, and a simple way to begin.What does the Bible say about joy?
By The Context Bible team on June 22, 2026
Biblical joy is not the same as happiness — it is a deep, settled gladness rooted in God Himself. A guide to the Hebrew and Greek vocabulary, the key passages, and how joy persists even in seasons of grief.What does the Bible say about hope?
By The Context Bible team on June 21, 2026
Biblical hope is not wishful thinking — it is confident expectation anchored in God's character and the resurrection. A guide to the Hebrew and Greek vocabulary, the key passages, and how this hope shapes ordinary days.What does the Bible say about grief?
By The Context Bible team on June 20, 2026
The Bible does not rush past grief. It names it, makes space for it, and walks with the grieving through it. A guide to Lamentations, the Psalms of complaint, Jesus at the tomb, and Paul on grieving with hope.What does the Bible say about forgiveness?
By The Context Bible team on June 19, 2026
The Bible's teaching on forgiveness is among its most demanding and most life-giving. A careful look at what forgiveness is, what it is not, how God forgives us, and what He calls us to do for one another.What does the Bible say about anxiety and worry?
By The Context Bible team on June 18, 2026
The Bible names anxiety directly and offers a thorough treatment of it — not by dismissing it, but by replacing it. A guide to the key passages, what they invite, and the practical disciplines they shape.What does the Bible say about anger?
By The Context Bible team on June 17, 2026
The Bible takes anger seriously — it warns against the destructive kind, makes room for righteous anger, and gives concrete disciplines for keeping it from turning into sin. A careful walk through the central passages.Bible verses about…
Curated KJV verse collections, organized by topic for quick reference.
Bible verses about prayer (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on July 1, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about prayer, organized by theme — what Jesus taught, what Paul prescribed, the Psalms as prayer book, and Old Testament examples — all in the King James Version.Bible verses about love (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on June 30, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about love, organized by theme — God's love for us, the Great Commandment, 1 Corinthians 13, and love for one another — all in the King James Version.Bible verses about joy (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on June 29, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about joy, organized by theme — joy in God's presence, joy in suffering, the fruit of the Spirit, and the Psalms — all in the King James Version.Bible verses about hope (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on June 28, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about hope, organized by theme — the hope of Israel, resurrection hope, hope in suffering, and the hope of glory — all in the King James Version.Bible verses about grief (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on June 27, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about grief and mourning, organized by theme — the Psalms of lament, Jesus weeping, comfort for the brokenhearted, and the hope of resurrection — all in the King James Version.Bible verses about forgiveness (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on June 26, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about forgiveness, organized by theme — how God forgives, how Jesus taught us to forgive, what Paul wrote about forgiving one another, and Old Testament foundations — all in the King James Version.Bible verses about anxiety and worry (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on June 25, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about anxiety and worry, organized by theme — what Jesus said, what Paul prescribed, the Psalms of trust, and Old Testament promises — all in the King James Version.Bible verses about anger (KJV)
By The Context Bible team on June 24, 2026
A curated collection of Bible verses about anger and wrath, organized by theme — Proverbs on the slow-to-anger, Paul on dealing with wrath, James on listening first, and God's righteous anger — all in the King James Version.Why did Jesus…?
Short, careful answers to the questions Christians actually ask about Jesus.
Why did Jesus write on the ground when the woman was caught in adultery?
By The Context Bible team on June 8, 2026
John 8 says Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground twice as the scribes and Pharisees pressed Him about the woman caught in adultery. What He wrote isn't recorded — but four careful readings have been offered through church history. A look at each.Why did Jesus weep?
By The Context Bible team on June 8, 2026
John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible: 'Jesus wept.' Why did He weep at Lazarus' tomb when He already knew He was about to raise him from the dead? A careful look at the verbs, the setting, and what tears mean in John.Why did Jesus wash the disciples' feet?
By The Context Bible team on June 7, 2026
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus took off His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, and washed His disciples' feet — a task reserved for non-Jewish slaves. The act was a deliberate teaching about who He is, what the cross will mean, and what His followers are now called to be for one another.Why did Jesus walk on water?
By The Context Bible team on June 6, 2026
All three Synoptic Gospels and John record Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee in a storm. The miracle is famous, but the deeper meaning is in the Old Testament background and what Jesus says when He arrives at the boat: 'It is I; be not afraid.'Why did Jesus turn over the tables in the Temple?
By The Context Bible team on June 5, 2026
Jesus' cleansing of the Temple appears in all four Gospels. The scene is often pictured as a flash of anger, but the underlying issue was deeper: a system that had crowded prayer out of the only court where Gentiles could pray. A careful look at what He did and what He quoted.Why did Jesus speak in parables?
By The Context Bible team on June 4, 2026
When the disciples asked Jesus why He taught in parables, His answer was layered: parables reveal to those who lean in and conceal from those who don't. A look at what a parable actually is, why it was Jesus' preferred form of public teaching, and what He said it was doing.Why did Jesus rise on the third day?
By The Context Bible team on June 3, 2026
Paul says Christ 'rose again the third day according to the scriptures' — naming the timing as something the Old Testament had already pointed to. Why three days? A look at the Jewish counting, the prophetic backgrounds, and what the resurrection accomplished.Why did Jesus pray if He was God?
By The Context Bible team on June 2, 2026
The Gospels show Jesus praying often — at His baptism, before choosing the Twelve, in Gethsemane. If He is God, why does He pray to God? A careful look at what prayer is, what the Son's relationship with the Father is, and why Jesus' prayer life is the most important model we have.Why did Jesus heal on the Sabbath?
By The Context Bible team on June 1, 2026
The Gospels record at least seven Sabbath healings — and each one drew controversy. A look at what the Sabbath was for, what the religious leaders were objecting to, and why Jesus repeatedly chose this day to do this work.Why did Jesus eat with sinners and tax collectors?
By The Context Bible team on May 31, 2026
Sharing a meal was a profound act of acceptance in first-century Judea. Jesus' practice of eating with tax collectors and sinners scandalized the religious leaders — which is exactly why He did it. What table fellowship meant, and what He was teaching by it.Why did Jesus get baptized if He was sinless?
By The Context Bible team on May 31, 2026
John's baptism was for repentance, yet Jesus — who had no sin to repent of — insisted on being baptized. John resisted; Jesus answered, 'Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.' What that means, and why this moment opens His public ministry.Why did Jesus die on the cross?
By The Context Bible team on May 30, 2026
The cross is the center of Christian faith and the question Christians have answered most carefully through two thousand years. A look at five complementary biblical pictures of what the cross accomplished — none of which contradicts the others.Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?
By The Context Bible team on May 29, 2026
It is one of the more puzzling acts in the Gospels: Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had no fruit, even though Mark notes 'the time of figs was not yet.' Once you see Mark's literary structure — the tree wraps around the Temple cleansing — the meaning comes into focus.Why did Jesus cast the demons into the pigs?
By The Context Bible team on May 28, 2026
In Mark 5, Jesus permits a legion of demons to enter a herd of pigs, which then rushes into the sea. The scene is strange to modern readers. A careful look at the setting, what the demons were asking for, and the meaning of pigs in first-century Judea brings the story into focus.Why did Jesus calm the storm?
By The Context Bible team on May 27, 2026
On the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was asleep while the disciples panicked. They woke Him; He rebuked the storm and asked them why they had no faith. A look at what the sea meant in Hebrew thought, why His sleep matters, and what the question He asked them is asking us.Why did Jesus call Peter "Satan"?
By The Context Bible team on May 26, 2026
Six verses after Peter's great confession ("Thou art the Christ"), Jesus turns to him and says, "Get thee behind me, Satan." The reversal is startling. A careful look at what Peter was actually opposing, why Jesus answered so sharply, and what the moment teaches about following Him.Why did Jesus appear first to Mary Magdalene?
By The Context Bible team on May 25, 2026
All four Gospels agree that women were the first witnesses of the empty tomb, and John names Mary Magdalene as the first to see the risen Jesus. In a culture where women's testimony was discounted, this choice is itself part of the meaning of the resurrection.Hebrew & Greek word studies
What the original languages add when you slow down on a single word.
What does "Shalom" mean in Hebrew?
By The Context Bible team on June 16, 2026
"Shalom" is the most-used Hebrew greeting in the world, but it is not just "hello." Its root means wholeness, completeness, fullness — peace not as the absence of conflict but as the presence of everything God intends.What does "Selah" mean in the Psalms?
By The Context Bible team on June 15, 2026
"Selah" appears 71 times in the Psalms and 3 times in Habakkuk, but the Bible never tells us what it means. The two most careful traditional readings — "pause and reflect" and a musical instruction — are both worth holding.What does "Maranatha" mean? (Aramaic origin and the early church)
By The Context Bible team on June 15, 2026
"Maranatha" is one of the oldest Christian prayers — preserved in Aramaic at the end of 1 Corinthians. Whether it means "Our Lord, come!" or "Our Lord has come," the word is a window into the earliest Christian worship.What does "Logos" mean in Greek? (John 1 and the Word)
By The Context Bible team on June 14, 2026
John opens his Gospel with one of the most famous sentences in literature: "In the beginning was the Word." The Greek word he uses is Logos. What that word meant in first-century Jewish and Greek thought — and why John chose it — is the doorway into the Gospel of John.What does "Hosanna" mean? (Hebrew origin and biblical use)
By The Context Bible team on June 13, 2026
"Hosanna" is a Hebrew prayer — "save now!" — that became a shout of praise. A look at its origin in Psalm 118, the Jewish feast where it became a song, and what the crowd was actually saying when they cried it as Jesus entered Jerusalem.What does "Hallelujah" mean in Hebrew?
By The Context Bible team on June 12, 2026
"Hallelujah" is a Hebrew imperative — a command to praise the LORD. It is composed of two parts: hallelu (praise ye) and Yah (the shortened form of God's personal name). When we sing it, we are calling each other to praise the God who named Himself to Moses.What does "Amen" mean in Hebrew?
By The Context Bible team on June 11, 2026
"Amen" is the most universal word in the Christian and Jewish worlds, used by billions of people in every language. The Hebrew root means "to be firm, faithful, trustworthy" — and that meaning carries through every time we say it.What does "Agape" mean in Greek? (Christian love explained)
By The Context Bible team on June 10, 2026
"Agape" is the New Testament's most distinctive word for love — used 320+ times, often where you would have expected a different Greek word. What it means, how it differs from the other Greek words for love, and why Christian writers chose it deliberately.What does "Abba" mean? (Aramaic origin and biblical use)
By The Context Bible team on June 9, 2026
"Abba" is the Aramaic word for "father" — the intimate, personal address Jesus used when praying to God. Three New Testament passages preserve the Aramaic word, and each one teaches us something about how the Holy Spirit teaches us to pray.What did "Pharisee" actually mean in first-century Judea?
By The Context Bible team on May 24, 2026
Pharisee is one of the most-misunderstood words in the Bible. They were not the hypocrites cartoon, but a serious lay-renewal movement trying to make Jewish faithfulness real in everyday life. What that means for reading the Gospels — and for not flattening Jesus' arguments with them.Daily devotionals
Short pastoral reflections from the daily devotional in the app.
The Shepherd in the Doorway
By The Context Bible team on June 15, 2026
Your safety rests in the Shepherd who gives Himself for the sheep.A White Stone and a New Name
By The Context Bible team on June 14, 2026
Christ gives both acquittal and welcome.Marked by Love
By The Context Bible team on June 13, 2026
Christian freedom becomes joyful belonging.Build What Is in Front of You
By The Context Bible team on June 12, 2026
Faithfulness near home strengthens the whole city.Baskets After Serving
By The Context Bible team on June 11, 2026
Jesus sees the servants as well as the crowd.Leaving the Booth
By The Context Bible team on June 10, 2026
Discipleship can ask for an irreversible yes.Leave the Edges
By The Context Bible team on June 9, 2026
God builds mercy into the margins.What Are You Carrying?
By The Context Bible team on June 8, 2026
Jesus receives what we bring and often changes what we carry.When Scripture Repeats Itself
By The Context Bible team on June 7, 2026
Repetition is often the Bible's way of saying, 'Pay attention.'Holiness Without a Name Tag
By The Context Bible team on June 6, 2026
Heaven often arrives through people we are tempted to overlook.God in the Quiet
By The Context Bible team on June 5, 2026
Do not miss the holy because it arrives without spectacle.The Other Cheek
By The Context Bible team on June 4, 2026
Jesus teaches dignity without retaliation.Taking Off the Old Garment
By The Context Bible team on June 3, 2026
Grace invites us to lay aside speech that weighs down the soul.Words That Build a Home
By The Context Bible team on June 2, 2026
Speech can become shelter for weary people.The Pressing Place
By The Context Bible team on June 1, 2026
God can bring holy oil from seasons of pressure.