What Is an Interlinear Bible (And How Do You Use One)?

Have you ever wondered what a particular Hebrew or Greek word means in the Bible? Or how that word was translated into English? An interlinear Bible is a study tool that helps you explore Scripture in its original languages, even if you don’t know Hebrew or Greek.

In this guide, we’ll explain what an interlinear Bible is, how it works, and how you can use one to dig deeper into God’s Word.

What Is an Interlinear Bible

An interlinear Bible is a Bible study tool that displays the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek text alongside a word-by-word English translation. The words are typically arranged in aligned lines, allowing readers to see how individual words in the original languages correspond to English words.

This makes interlinear Bibles especially useful for word studies, comparing translations, and exploring the original languages of Scripture.

How Interlinear Bibles Work

Interlinear Bibles arrange the original-language text and its English equivalents in aligned rows. Depending on the resource, you may also see pronunciation guides, grammatical information, and links to dictionaries or lexicons.

Some common features include:

• Original-Language Text: Displays the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek words.
• Transliteration: Shows how an original-language word is written using English letters to help with pronunciation.
• English Gloss: Provides an approximate English meaning for each individual word.
• Parsing/Morphology: Provides grammatical information, such as tense, case, number, gender, or part of speech.
• Strong’s Numbers: In compatible resources, these numbers connect original-language words to entries in Strong’s dictionaries and other study tools.
• English Translation: Some interlinears include a complete English translation alongside the original-language text for easier reading.

How to Use an Interlinear Bible

Interlinear Bibles are useful for exploring biblical words, comparing translations, and understanding how the original languages work. But how do you actually use one?

With compatible interlinear resources in Olive Tree, you can explore the text in a few simple steps:

• Tap a Greek or Hebrew Word:
  • Tap an original-language word to open a pop-up window with available grammatical information, parsing details, and dictionary definitions.
• Tap an English Word:
  • In supported resources, tapping an English word highlights or connects it to the corresponding original-language word and its Strong’s number.
• Tap a Strong’s Number:
  • Open Strong’s entry to explore additional information about the original word and its meaning.
• Dig Deeper with Study Tools:
  • Search: Use the Search option or a Strong’s-number search to find other passages where the same Greek or Hebrew word appears in compatible Bible resources.
  • Lookup: Select Lookup to explore definitions and information from other downloaded Greek or Hebrew lexicons and dictionaries.
  • Open in Parallel: In supported resources, use the parallel-window option to view dictionary or commentary entries alongside your Bible.

Using Interlinear Bibles with Olive Tree

Interlinear Bibles can help you take a closer look at the original Hebrew and Greek words behind Scripture. Whether you’re studying a particular word, comparing translations, or exploring the meaning of a passage, they provide a useful way to go deeper into God’s Word without needing to be fluent in the original languages.

With Olive Tree, you can explore interlinear resources alongside your Bible, look up original-language words, consult lexicons and dictionaries, and follow related passages as you study. Having these tools together makes it easier to explore the original languages while keeping your focus on understanding Scripture in context throughout your Bible reading.

FAQ

1. What Is a Reverse Interlinear Bible?

A reverse interlinear Bible works in the opposite direction of a traditional interlinear. It starts with an English Bible translation and connects its words to the original languages instead of starting with the original language text. This makes them especially helpful for readers who want to explore Hebrew and Greek while reading a familiar English translation.

2. Is an Interlinear Bible Accurate?

Interlinear Bibles help you explore the original languages, but word-by-word translations don’t always capture the full meaning of a passage. Because Hebrew and Greek differ from English in grammar and word order, interlinears are best used alongside a regular Bible translation to understand both individual words and the passage as a whole.