Bible Study 1

D’Wayne Elliott

How I Study.  Part II A look at Hebrews 13:5.

1. Purpose

This is a study on a Scripture found in Hebrew 13:5.  This is one of my favorite because it reminds me that God says that he will always be there for us.  I’m starting this series or scripture studies so that people will get an opportunity to see the truth of God’s word for themselves and that they can rightly divide it for themselves.

2. How I will accomplish this:

A.    How I will accomplish this: I will Highlight the key word in the scripture that I believe impact the scriptures meaning the most.

B.     I will Define those word according to Dictionary and the Hebrew and Greek Concordance meanings.

C.     I will list what I learned from the definition and share what my interpretation is from the study.

D.    I will compare my findings with other versions of the bible to see how what I discovered lines up with those versions

E.     I will restate the scripture in my own words.

3. Goal:

To help people better understand the Word of God by sharing the method the he guided me through to help me study to word and understand it.

4. This is from the King James Version of the bible.

Hbr 13:5

[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

A.There are four words that I see influence the interpretation of this scripture:

1)      Conversation

2)      Covetousness

3)      Content

4)      Forsake

Definition:  Conversation

–noun

1.	informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk; colloquy.

2.	an instance of this.

3.	association or social intercourse; intimate acquaintance.

4.	criminal conversation.

5.	the ability to talk socially with others: She writes well but has no conversation.

6.	Obsolete. a. behavior or manner of living. b. close familiarity; intimate acquaintance, as from constant use or study.

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[Origin: 1300–50; ME conversacio(u)n < L conversātiōn- (s. of conversātiō) society, intercourse, equiv. to conversāt(us) ptp. of conversārī to associate with (see converse¹) + -iōn- -ion]

—Synonyms 1. dialogue, chat.

conversation 

1340, from O.Fr. conversation, from L. conversationem (nom. conversatio) "act of living with," prp. of conversari "to live with, keep company with," lit. "turn about with," from L. com- intens. prefix + vertare, freq. of vertere (see versus). Originally "having dealings with others," also "manner of conducting oneself in the world;" specific sense of "talk" is 1580. Used as a synonym for "sexual intercourse" from at least 1511, hence criminal conversation, legal term for adultery from late 18c.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Conversation

generally the goings out and in of social intercourse (Eph. 2:3; 4:22; R.V., "manner of life"); one's deportment or course of life. This word is never used in Scripture in the sense of verbal communication from one to another (Ps. 50:23; Heb. 13:5). In Phil. 1:27 and 3:20, a different Greek word is used. It there means one’s relation to a community as a citizen, i.e., citizenship.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

The Greek/ Hebrew definition of the word is……( as translated from the original text)

The Greek Word for conversation is G5158 and means:

1) A manner, way, fashion

a) As, even as, like as

2) Manner of life, character, deportment

Authorized Version (KJV) Translation Count — Total: 13

AV — as + 3739 3, even as + 2596 + 3739 2, way 2, means 2, even as + 3739 1, in like manner as + 3639 1, manner 1, conversation 1

Compared to the way we use conversation today, in this verse of scripture, it has a totally different meaning from our everyday use.  It is not referring to spoken communication between two or more people, rather the manner in which we walk and live.  More specifically, how we carry ourselves and our character and moral disposition.

Definition:  Covetousness

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

Covetousness
noun
1.	an envious eagerness to possess something
2.	extreme greed for material wealth [syn: avarice]
3.	reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins) [syn: avarice]

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Covetousness

a strong desire after the possession of worldly things (Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5; Heb. 13:5; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10; Matt. 6:20). It assumes sometimes the more aggravated form of avarice, which is the mark of cold-hearted worldliness.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Again, the meaning in of the word in reference to how it is used now, only touches the surface of what was being conveyed in the actual verse of scripture.  What brings the gravity of the meaning home is the statement, which is the mark of cold-hearted worldiness, which is far deeper than just seeking worldly possessions.

Definition:  Content

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

con·tent2    /kənˈtɛnt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kuhn-tent] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective

1.	satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.
2.	British. agreeing; assenting.
3.	Archaic. willing.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to make content: These things content me.

–noun

5.	the state or feeling of being contented; contentment: His content was threatened.
6.	(in the British House of Lords) an affirmative vote or voter.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME < MF < L contentus satisfied, special use of ptp. of continére; see content1]

—Related forms

con·tent·a·ble, adjective

con·tent·ly, adverb

con·tent·ness, noun

—Synonyms 4. appease, gratify. See satisfy.

—Antonyms 4. dissatisfy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

The Greek/ Hebrew definition of the word is……( as translated from the original text)

The Greek word for content is G714 and means:

1) to be possessed of unfailing strength

a) to be strong, to suffice, to be enough

1) to defend, ward off

b) to be satisfied, to be contented

Authorized Version (KJV) Translation Count — Total: 8

AV — be content 3, be sufficient 2, be enough 1, suffice 1, content 1

The meaning of this word is actually almost the same in the sense of how it’s used in the scripture.  We can see that by the definitions and the concordance meanings (which is the translation of the word from the original Hebrew and Greek transcript.).

Definition:  Forsake

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

for·sake   /fɔrˈseɪk/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fawr-seyk] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–verb (used with object), -sook, -sak·en, -sak·ing.

1.	to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert: She has forsaken her country for an island in the South Pacific.

2.	to give up or renounce (a habit, way of life, etc.).

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[Origin: bef. 900; ME forsaken to deny, reject, OE forsacan, equiv. to for- for- + sacan to dispute]

—Related forms

for·sak·er, noun

—Synonyms 1. See desert². 2. forswear, relinquish, forgo.

The Greek/ Hebrew definition of the word is……( as translated from the original text)

The Greek word for forsake is G1459 and means:

1) abandon, desert

a) leave in straits, leave helpless

b) totally abandoned, utterly forsaken

2) to leave behind among, to leave surviving

Authorized Version (KJV) Translation Count — Total: 9

AV — forsake 7, leave 2

This word also stays close to the original meaning of the word in the original Hebrew/Greek Translation,   to abandon totally or to leave without assistance.

How here is my understanding of what the meaning of this scripture is base on the context of the scripture and the meaning base on comprehension of the words and how they were used in the original text.  This will highlight every word of the scripture and define them for deeper understanding.

Let [Allow are permit] your [what belongs to you by right] conversation [witness-what others see and perceive about you, your manners, the way you do things, your style and approach] be [how it is established and what’s done] without [void of or absent of completely] covetousness [false or misplaced desire for what others have, envy, jealousy, selfish motivation to have what others possess] and [along with that] be [make yourself or establish yourself this way]content [pleased, at peace with, in agreement with, be approving of the path that God has you now] with such things [with what conditions and circumstances you see, have, and are dealing with] as ye have [speaks to where you are and what’s going on now]; For [because, as a result of] He God[only God, acknowledges the source of the declaration]Hath said [has declared, established, put in place, mandated, commanded]I [God the father and provider, supporter, encourager] will [as a matter of a heart condition, desire, choice] never [not under any circumstance ] leave [abandon, neglect] thee [whoever reads this and believes in him] nor forsake [quit, leave renounce or desert] thee [you].

In reading the scripture this was it allowed me to see the scope of God’s love and support for me.  It allows me to have the confidence that no matter what I am going through, he is here with me.  Ultimately I can use the prayer in the right way to cause the Word to be fruitful in my life because I understand the principle behind the word. 

I pray that this blesses you and that it will assist you in rightly understanding the true Word of God and not just what People have interpreted to you.