by Tama Fortner @TamaFortner
I’m not a Doctor of Theology. I don’t even play one on TV. But I do spend my days writing about God and His Word. It’s a blessing and a privilege…and a huge responsibility. Which is why I want whatever I write about God to be “rock” solid. (Pun intended, of course.)
It’s tempting to assume that because I’ve looked up, recited, or even sang a verse five thousand times that I know it inside and out. Why look up a verse like John 3:16, right? I mean, I’ve had that one memorized for years! But…which translation? The NKJV, the NIV, or the “old” 1984 NIV? Is it “beloved Son” or “one and only Son”? And where exactly do those commas go?
See what I mean?
I’ve also learned that it’s a bad idea to assume a particular Bible word means what I think it means. (Cue Inigo Montoya here: “You keep using that word….”) And the context of that “perfect for my purpose” verse? Yeah, well, I’ve learned to check that out too.
Why?
Because I don’t want to lead anyone even one millimeter astray. As Christian writers, none of us do.
Having been in this Christian writing business for a minute (or a decade or two), I’ve figured out my go-to places for researching and verifying my verses and facts. Here are my three favs:
With tons of different Bible translations to peruse, you can compare multiple translations on one screen or search for a particular word or term. A subscription (roughly $4-ish a month) opens up a whole library of dictionaries, study Bibles, commentaries, and encyclopedias. It also gets rid of those pesky ads.
Though this free site has so many tools, I especially love it for the cross references feature. Because here’s my confession: When writing a 365-day devotional on a particular topic (as with Five Minutes of Grace), I struggle to come up with 365 different verses on that topic. If you find yourself in the same boat, OpenBible’s cross references feature will quickly offer up tons of options. Just be sure to pop back over to BibleGateway and check the context to, again, make sure it means what you think it means. (Yeah, I’m looking at you Philippians 4:13.)
BlueLetterBible is my go-to place for looking at a verse in the original language. Simply type in the verse, click the Strong’s option, and lots of little superscript numbers will appear. Click on one of those numbers and geek out on all the lovely, original language information.
And a bonus . . . Google Search
If you’re like this writer and rather numerically challenged, I might know the words of a verse, but the reference? Ummm. Did you know you can simply type something like “Bible verse about we love because God first loved us” into the Google search bar, hit enter, and…ta-dah…1 John 4:19! Game. Changer.
With so much information right at our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to make sure our words are honoring God’s Word…and to make sure our writing is “rock” solid.
TAMA FORTNER is an ECPA award-winning and bestselling author with more than sixty titles to her credit, including her latest God, I Feel Sad and Simply Christmas: A Busy Mom’s Guide to Reclaiming the Peace of the Holidays. She is the writer behind the million-selling Indescribable for Kids series with Louie Giglio, as well as a number of books in the Jesus Calling children’s line, including the wildly successful Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids. Tama has collaborated with such well-known authors as Max Lucado, Levi Lusko, Sadie Robertson Huff, and Emily Ley to create inspirational books for all ages.
Tama’s upcoming releases include God, I Feel Scared with coauthor Michelle Nietert (Zonderkidz, 2023) and Everyday Joys Devotional with Ink & Willow of Penguin Random House (2024).
Tama lives on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, with her family and a feisty little pup who is convinced he’s people too. To learn more, visit www.TamaFortner.com.
The Conversation
I appreciate this post. When I read in just one translation, I knew some verses pretty well. But since I started reading others, I can’t rely on my memory—I tend to mix the transitions together in my mind.
I use Google a lot the way you described, when I can only remember part of a verse or can’t remember the reference. Usually the search results will show a link to the verse in biblehub.com, which will list the verse in a whole slew of translations as well as cross references on the side and abbreviated commentary plus the Greek or Hebrew original wording below.
BibleHub is another great resource! Sounds like you have a solid approach to research—happy writing!
Great information, Tama. I have used some but not all of these. Thank you.
Thank you, Diana! Happy researching . . . and writing!
I really like the Blue Letter Bible app, too. Thanks for the resources, Tama. Happy writing:-)
I only discovered that app a couple of years ago—and I’m obsessed! Happy writing!
Tama, Thanks for this helpful information. I certainly desire to write rock solid devotions.
You do such a wonderful job with your devotions! 🙂