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If you’re looking for a one volume Bible study tool that combines a solid translation (KJV) with Stong’s numbers, inline grammatical data on every word, extensive cross-references, book introductions, footnote commentaries on key passages, Hebrew and Greek dictionaries, word studies, and more, the Complete Word Study Bible, published by AMG and available for your PDA or Smartphone from Olive Tree, may be just what you need. This work is the fruit of 46 years of research by noted scholar Dr. Spiro Zodhiates. Available in bookstores as a four-inch thick hardback, this treasure can now be held in your palm or stored in your pocket.

Let’s take a look briefly at how we can use CWSB to investigate a word, phrase, passage, or book from the Bible. Turning to John 1:1, we read “In the beginning was the Word…” We see the title John, the subtitle The Word Became Flesh, and two links, one to an introduction explaining the authorship, uniqueness, style, and contents of the Gospel of John. The other link pulls up a commentary on the subtitled section, John 1:1-17. In this footnote/commentary, we learn about the eternal existence of Christ as the Logos or “Intelligence” Who originated everything that exits, and we read about His becoming the expression of that Intelligence as a man. We also learn that the first of two Greek verbs for to be used in the passage indicates His eternal pre-existence while the second indicates His entrance into a new state and His continuation in that state. Hyperlinked cross references give us the opportunity to search out these observations. By the time we have read the introduction to John’s gospel and the commentary on 1:1-17, we have an understanding of the context in which John writes “in the beginning.”

Now we can go deeper by looking at the word beginning by tapping on Menu, Display, and Toggle Strongs. Here we see inline grammatical codes and Strong’s numbers in parentheses following each and every word. Tapping on the grammatical data, we see that the word beginning is anarthrous (that is, without an article) and that it is a noun. Rather than being left to ponder on our own what these grammatical facts mean, we can follow hyperlinks to clear and complete explanations of the significance of each fact. Tapping on the Strong’s number, we now see an extensive definition of the Greek word for beginning, including nine points about its usage in various ways in the Bible (complete with hyperlinked references). We also find an explanation of the word’s derivation, a list of synonyms with hyperlinked Strong’s numbers, and a list of antonyms, also with links. There is too much lexical information in this entry to go into in this article. Suffice it to say that the reader is given a rich impression of the eternal pre-existence of the Logos and His overwhelming pre-eminence in this universe along with a thorough knowledge of the word beginning as it used throughout the New Testament.

I hope these comments on the CWSB give some impression of its value to serious Bible students. With a mimimal knowledge of biblical languages, or even no knowledge at all, we can use the CWSB to lead us into a deeper understanding of the wonderful truths about Christ and the Church in the Bible.

Topical study, though only one of many fruitful Bible study methods, is among the best ways to enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the Scriptures. To read as much as you can of what God has to say on a biblical subject is well worth the investment in time and effort.

One of the most helpful tools in this regard is Torrey’s New Topical Textbook, which brings together in simple outline form the major Bible passages on hundreds of important topics. Using this tool on your handheld device enables you to have a second window open for viewing the verses as you explore a topic. I am very glad to have this rich source of topically organized Bible references on my PDA, and I have begun to enjoy the blessing of spending an evening exploring a subject like Sanctification, Sin, the Blood of Christ, Grace, Redemption - there are hundreds to choose from.

To read Torrey’s inspiring introduction to this work is to be infused with desire to dig into God’s word. “The topical method of Bible study,” he says, “is simplest, most fascinating, and yields the largest results . . . It was Mr. Moody’s favorite method. It fills one’s mind very full on any subject studied. Mr Moody once gave several days to the study of ‘Grace.’ When he had finished he was so full of the subject that he rushed out on the street and going up to the first man he met he said: ‘Do you know anything about Grace?’ ‘Grace who,’ the man asked. ‘The Grace of God that bringeth salvation.’ And then Mr. Moody poured out upon that man the rich treasures he had dug out of the Word of God.”

Torrey goes on to say, “That is the way to master any subject and get full of it. Go through the Bible and see what it has to say on this subject.” This is made easy by having Torrey’s topical study tool on your PDA or Smartphone. That which at one time would have taken days or even months to accomplish can be done in a few hours of concentrated reading and study. What a blessing it is to have Torrey’s New Topical Textbook to aid us in understanding the truth and coming to know the Person and Work of Christ revealed in the Bible!

With the advent of personal computers and handheld devices, studying a portion of Scripture in various translations has become even easier. Olive Tree offers a wide array of English and other Bible translations for you to search and compare, over 80 in all. “What possible use could I have for so many translations,” you ask? Read on to find out.

We want to call your attention to an ongoing series of articles from Olive Tree called Explore the Bible on your PDA or Smartphone. These articles have been coming out for a few months now; there are nine to date, and a tenth coming soon. You may read these articles at olivetree.com or download them at no charge to your handheld computing device. The purpose of the articles is to help our customers get the most out of their electronic Bibles and Bible study software by presenting examples of real Bible study using Olive Tree Bibles and tools. A second, but not secondary, purpose is to nurture in readers a love and respect for the Bible and its message. Articles address such topics as The Blessings of Daily Scripture Reading, Using Cross References to Let the Bible Speak for Itself, The Why and How of Bible Searches, and Meditating on God’s Word. Some of the articles include helpful screen shots to assist readers.
 

The newest article, released today for reading online, will be ready to download to your device in a few days. It is entitled Appreciating Greek with Wuest’s Translation. Kenneth S. Wuest’s New Testament: an Expanded Translation is unlike any other translation I know. Olive Tree is delighted to be able to provide this outstanding tool to our users. We like it so much that we have devoted an entire article to explaining how the translation works.
 

The Expanded Translation is a bold attempt by a noted Greek professor and scholar to render a more precise sense of the original by using as many English words as are necessary to convey the New Testament writers’ intended meaning; hence, it is an “expanded” translation, not, strictly speaking, a paraphrase. Greek students will immediately recognize echoes of the principles of Greek they learned in their study of the New Testament language. In fact, reading Wuest’s translation is like taking a refresher course on what makes Greek Greek and not English. Non-Greek-readers will be pleased to find a translation that lets them in on Greek patterns of thought and discourse without the need to actually learn Greek. This was exactly the translator’s desire: he wanted to share the richness of the Greek New Testament with those who might not have the opportunity to learn the language themselves. He intended that his translation would complement other fine translations and would be a window into Greek nuances that are difficult to render in English.
 

We hope you will enjoy this article, along with the other articles in our series; even the more, we recommend to you Wuest’s Expanded Translation itself for use on your PDA or smartphone. So that you will not be left without a taste of this unique translation, here are the familiar final verses of Romans 8 (verses 36-39) as Wuest translates them. Notice especially his treatment of the present tense, with its durative force, and the perfect tense to show completed action:
 

“Even as it stands written, For your sake we are being put to death all the day long. We were accounted as sheep destined for slaughter. But in these things, all of them, we are coming off constantly with more than the victory through the One who loved us. For I have come through a process of persuasion to the settled conclusion that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things about to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”