Comments on: Writing Notes in Bibles and Books

By: Randy A Brown

Randy A Brown — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:04:47 +0000

Thanks. I copy my old markings, but I usually mark a little differently each time. The Bible before my Thompson was a Dugan Topical Study Bible (one of my all-time favorites). In that Bible I outlined the text around all of the words for each verse and then colored it in. When I went to the Thompson I decided to color only the words, leaving the space between the lines empty so I could underline in a different color. That’s worked out for me really well. In the Dugan I would outline in one color and then color the verse the main topic color if the verse had more than one topic. Now I underline the specific words of the other topic. Each time I go to a different Bible I spend a lot of time going back through the verses and coloring them. I do that first. I usually color only when I study, because for most of my general reading I use OliveTree on my Palm Centro (I recently upgraded from an old Ipaq using Laridian). I also color-code on my Centro, which is why I got OliveTree (it has more colors). The main notes I transfer are Greek and Hebrew definitions and cross references. I used to try to write comments in the margins, but I’ve gotten away from commentary. I hope to get a Note Taker’s Bible for Christmas (http://lcbplansing.org/Bibles/Executive.htm#Mid), so I might include more commentary if room permits. My goal is to make my own Topical Study Bible. Everyone tells me that’s a lot of work and it will take a lot of time. My answer to that is “yes it is… and yes it will”.

Randy

By: Scripture Zealot

Scripture Zealot — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:30:22 +0000

That’s quite a system. When you get a new Bible do you start over again or do you copy some of the old markings? Do yoou mark as you read or only when studying?
Jeff

By: Randy A Brown

Randy A Brown — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:42:07 +0000

I’ve used a color code for years. I’ve tweaked it every time I’ve gotten a new Bible, but the basics are always the same:

Yellow – Godhead
Red – Salvation
Blue – Holiness
Orange – Prophecy
Purple – Healing
Light Blue – Creation
Dark Green – The Word of God
Light Green – Gifts of the Spirit
Flesh – Works of the Flesh
Black – Wrath of God
Brown – Faith

As you can see I have a topical study system. I like to break the topics up even more by writing the sub-topic in the margin. The sub-topic is almost always in the margin of my Thompson, so I just color the heading and the references with that topic’s color. I color only the text itself. If the verse has more than one topic I will underline it with another color. It’s not uncommon for a verse in my Bible to be colored three or more colors. I use to use Prang color pencils. The last box of pencils I bought were Crayola (there’re better than they used to be). My next Bible will be colored with PrismaColor pencils and pens.

By: Robert Jimenez

Robert Jimenez — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:58:44 +0000

I have lots of highlighters! Oh and yes I am a “Cool” Nerd Or is that an oxymoron?

By: Peter M. Lopez

Peter M. Lopez — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Robert, I never knew you were such a Nerd? What if your pink highlighter runs out?

By: Robert Jimenez

Robert Jimenez — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:49:04 +0000

I have never settled on a satisfactory highlighting system for my bible. For books I have one that I have been using for years. It works great for me. The color system that I use is: Blue for definitions; Pink for Scriptures; Orange for quotes; Green for Numbered points; Yellow for general interest.

By: Scripture Zealot

Scripture Zealot — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:52:27 +0000

My hand is fairly stayed.

I've tried the inductive thing twice and just didn't get a lot out of it.

You're still a cool blogger.

My system has been the same for a very long time and I find it works well.

I can't get myself to switch Bibles now.
Jeff

By: Bitsy Griffin

Bitsy Griffin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:31:56 +0000

Very cool highlighting system. I wish I were better at them since I seem unable to stay my hand. When I got my inductive study Bible, I was going to go systematic. It even had instructions to get you going (not highlighting but other organized little pix and neat dowappies), and still I was a total failure . . . *hanging my head in shame*

By: Nathan W. Bingham

Nathan W. Bingham — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:22:58 +0000

In the past I would go crazy highlighting and colouring in. This went so far that it looked as though I was holding one of my daughter’s colouring books, and not a copy of the Scriptures. After destroying several Bible’s with my quick to highlight and comment hand, I have held back, and now have a pristine copy of the Scriptures. The only exception is my pocket Bible I use in evangelism which does have a few key Scriptures highlighted for the sole purpose of ease of reading while open-air preaching.I’m grateful for your links at the bottom of the post. I will have to check them out and see if I can find a system I like. I cannot bring myself to ‘begin’ again unless I know exactly how the whole system works. Maybe one day I’ll create my own system and all will be well, or maybe I’ll take your lead and create a private Wiki for all the scribbling I should be doing.

By: Peter M. Lopez

Peter M. Lopez — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:26:11 +0000

I have an advanced degree (although not in anything Biblical) and I still don’t understand it. I underline what I like in blue ink – sometimes red (I tried to start a system once: blue means this, red means that, but it didn’t take). If it’s a verse I really like I will put a little star-like thing beside it. If it’s a verse that I have questions about, I will put a little “?” out beside it. That’s about it. I would not recommend it as a system, though, because I can never remember in which Bible I made what mark.