Why use an interlinear Bible?

The books of the Bible were not originally written in English.

The earliest manuscripts of the books of the Bible were discovered for example in Hebrew or in Koine Greek.

An interlinear Bible is a Bible where each English word is accompanied by the word found in ancient biblical manuscripts (e.g. Hebrew or Greek).

There are also numbers indicated. They are called "Strong's". They are useful to search for example the same ancient word in other verses.

Click here for free links to an English interlinear Bible!

An interlinear Bible is useful to:

1. Find quickly other verses that use the same word:

Acts 15:39 (WEB): "Then the contention [παροξυσμός 3948 in Greek] grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus,"

Hebrews 10:24 (WEB): "Let us consider how to provoke [παροξυσμός 3948 in Greek] one another to love and good works,"

2. Spot words that are the same:

Hebrews 6:4 (WEB): "For concerning those who were once enlightened [φωτίζω, phōtisthentas 5461 in Greek] and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,"

Ephesians 3:9 (WEB): "and to make all men see [φωτίζω, phōtisai 5461 in Greek] what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ;"

3. Spot words that are not the same:

Galatians 6:2 (WEB): "Bear one another’s burdens [βάρος, barē 922 in Greek], and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Galatians 6:5 (WEB): "For each man will bear his own burden [φορτίον, phortion 5413 in Greek]."

4. Spot words that are not supposed to be there:

1 Corinthians 12:10 (WEB): "and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different [word added in this Bible translation, this word is not present in the Greek here] kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages."

5. Check the definition of a word:

Someone may try to define the word "repent" [μετανοέω, metanoeó 3340 in Greek] as meaning to "turn" to God.

No, they are two different words:

Acts 26:20 (WEB): "but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent [μετανοέω, metanoein 3340 in Greek] and turn [ἐπιστρέφω, epistrephein 1994 in Greek] to God, doing works worthy of repentance."

6. Check the roots of a word:

The word for "to-sit-with" [συγκαθίζω, sugkathizó 4776 in Greek, verb] is composed of "with" [σύν, sun 4862 in Greek, preposition], and "to-sit" [καθίζω, kathizó 2523 in Greek, verb].

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